Us
by Zacks-clone
Summary: Maybe there was a little more to Zack's life that Cloud knew about, but never told. Maybe the man, despite Cloud's belief, wanted it all to be told.
1. Zack

Rambles.

I guess all stories need to have a beginning. And an end. I suppose we all need to live a little once or twice, screw up, break our hearts and shatter our dreams at least once before we die, right? You know, I used to find it pathetic that people would reflect on the past, but here I am, sitting here dreaming of the past. All of it, and there wasn't really much to beginning with.

Jeez, Iv gotten ahead of myself here. My name is Zack Flame. I was a member of SOLDIER. First Class. From Gongaga, if you happen to have live in a time where SOLDIER no longer existed (perhaps your world is more peaceful then mine was?). My burial grounds are just outside of Midgar. Well, least, that where I fell.

Burial grounds you ask? Yes, I am dead. I have been for a few years now. I'm not sure how you can hear me. Perhaps I am in your dream. In your mind, speaking to you because I have no one here to speak to (besides my beloved Aeris, but she knows my story, and Sephiroth doesn't wish to listen).

Oh, don't wake up! Please, I need to tell someone on The Planet about me. I know some have tried to spread about my memory, but they have lives of their own. I need someone to know me. I don't wish to die completely! Not yet…Please, stay where you are. I'm going to tell you a story…No… show you my story. Don't be frightened; you'll not be harmed. You will just be there, watching us, not being we you see. Please, don't wake up. Stay with me…


	2. Cloud

Cloud.

He was an odd looking boy. Short, dressed in blue and wearing a jacket that seemed about 3 years to big for him. His hair was up in long blond spikes. The hair that was to long to pull into this odd fashion was pulled back into a ponytail. He looked lost to Zack, and perhaps he was. Of course, Zack wasn't about to go help this young man finding his way, for he himself was very much lost and very much afraid.

At only 10 years of age, Zack Flame had every reason to be terrified. Midgar was a very large city, and there were so many strange people around. He had no idea who anyone was. An odd looking woman continued to give him looks, while whispering to a punk dressed man. Zack kept sidestepping away from them, trying to keep in the shadows of the ally so as not to be seen.

Perhaps running away wasn't the best idea, Zack though. No, running away was definitely not to smart of him. 

He heard the sound of feet heading in his direction, and his head shot up. For a moment he thought something was going to eat him, or that lady and her pal were coming to snatch him. His assumptions wee not correct, and he found that the little blond was heading towards him.

"E-Excuse me?" The little boy stuttered. Zack realized he really was short, about 5 inches shorter than Zack was. He was younger to, for his features didn't look as old and wise as Zack's did (even if he was only at age 10).

"I-I-I was wondering." The boy nervously said, shaking under his large jacket, "I was wondering if you-if you knew where I could find the Shinra Building." His voice died down as he said the last part, blushing deeply. Zack frowned and opened his mouth to say something.

"I do dear!" The woman who had given him odd looks said, walking over to the two boys. "If you'll come with me, I'll show you!"

"O-oh. I-I think I can find it on my own." the little boy said. Zack put his hands on his hips, looking at the lady.

"Hey!" He snapped, bitter rage flooding through him, "I was just about to tell him where to go when you interrupted!"

The woman, in her dirty red dress glared at him. "Little boy, your as lost as he is. Perhaps I could help you as well!" The lady had taken up an air of false cheer, smiling brightly down at the two.

"I-I.I don't know. I think I remember now." The little blond whispered. The woman smiled down at him.

"Dear child, don't be afraid of me! Iv lived in this city for years now, I know exactly where I'm going and where everything is."

Zack glared at her. I highly doubt that, he though. If the woman knows every place in this city, then why does she smell?

"Come along dears." The woman's punk friend had come up behind her, glaring down at the two boys. "I'll show you where you need to go." She put her hand on the blonds back, and her other on Zack's shoulder.

"I didn't say I wanted to go with you!" Zack snapped, glaring at her. She looked back at her friend, blue eyes giving a silent signal. The man looked at Zack, and grinned, placing his hand where the woman's had been. 

"Come along." He said, pulling Zack from the wall.

"No!" Zack yelled, pushing the hand off his shoulder. "I told you, I'm not going with you!" His eyes went to the little blond, who looked like he was about to cry, or scream. One or the other.

"You've no choice kid." the man snapped in a low, hiss tone.

Suddenly the man straightened up, eyes wide.

"Yeah, and Spike, you've no choice but to let them go now. Unless, you like the idea of a bullet to the brain."

The woman's eyes widened to become the size of small saucers. "Yes, Metric, Iv a gun. Yes, what I told your pal here is a threat. Let the blond go to." Zack still couldn't see the person speaking, but he knew it must have been a woman; the voice wasn't as deep as most men's voices.

The woman forced a smile, and took her hand from the blond back. "I was only going to sow him to the Shinra building dear, not harm in that now, is there?"

A sharp sigh come from behind the man. "Coming from anyone other then you and Spike here, no. But Metric dear, I know you better then that."

Metric wrinkled her large nose, but smiled, gritting her teeth. "Well, It was nice seeing you again toots." She said. Her eyes went to Spike, who appeared to be at gunpoint still. "Come along Spike, let's leave Ivy to her play toys."

Spike glanced behind him, catching the light on the piercing above his eye. Suddenly he stumbled forward, almost smacking into Metric. She gave him a venomous glare, and turned around, stalking off past the spiky headed child, Spike at her heels.

Zack's head turned to where Spike had stood. Two young women were in his place. One was dressed in baggy, khaki colored jeans with a great many straps and pockets. The leather belt about her waist was unbuckled and hung near the zipper of her paints. She had on a blue jacket Zack had seen many minor Shinra guards wear before, and a hostler slung over her shoulder. Her hair was cut very en-evenly around the bottom of her ears, and near the top of her hair, there were two very little spikes. Her chocolate eyes fell on Zack, and he looked at the other young woman hidden in the shadows. The first ladies eyes were breath taking, and little scary.

"You two sure ran into a pair of trouble." The lady in the shadows said. The first shook her head, rolling her eyes as she did so. 

"They should be grateful we were passing by." she said bitterly, "If not they would have been minced meat in a few hours." She walked past Zack, then the little blond, ignoring his shivers under his coat.

"Ivy!" the shadow girl snapped, coming out into the flickering light of the street lamp. "You aren't going to help them?"

This woman he liked better already, Zack realized. She was very pretty, not plain like the first. She had middle-of-the-back length red fired hair, and bright green eyes that seemed full of kindness and joy. She was dressed a bit more femininely then 'Ivy' was, in a short black mini skirt, and a V-neck white blouse with long, open sleeves that at the cuffs, fell to her knees. She to had a hostler and gun with her, but this one hung about her waist where many belts were crossed. Her shoes were the same as 'Ivy's' though, plain black boots that came to just bellow her knees.

Ivy stopped, and sighed, Turing around after a brief pause. "What would you have me do?" He asked, looking perturbed and bored all at once. " Bring the children into the heart of the city? Bring them back to the slums and our home? We don't exactly live in the friendliest of neighborhoods Fox. They'd almost be better off wandering the streets."

The first girl clasped her hands together, her many bangles clinking. "Ivy, come on! This isn't fair to them! Look at them!" She went to the blond, for he was the one that had just fallen to his knees. "They are so young!"

"Kid, what are you?" Ivy suddenly shot at Zack, her hand on her hip and waving the pistol about in her other,"8,9?"

"10."Zack stated, giving her a slight glare.

Ivy nodded,"10,even better. Fox, their only about 5 years younger then you are!"

"6 younger then you Ivy, and that's still a lot! Look at this poor dear." She had put her arms about the blonds shoulders, cradling him like a mother would a baby, " he's scared to death."

Zack raised an eyebrow as the ending of the word death suddenly went very slow. Suddenly the red heads eyes widened. "Cloud?" She exclaimed.

Cloud. Nice name, Zack though. A fuzzy little Cloud. Hah.

The blond looked up, rubbing his eyes as tears steamed out. "W-Foxy?" He asked, sobbing. The red head nodded and hugged him. "You remember me!"

Ivy looked sick, and wrinkled her nose. "Don't tell me this is some sort of lame family reunion. This your long lost brother or something?" She asked, glancing at Zack, who shared her expression.

Fox shook her head vigorously, smiling. "No, no, no, no! This is my friend Cloud! His mother and mine were really close friends in school! I met him when he was like, 6! Only a few years ago! I can't believe you remember me!"

Ivy looked even more sickened. " Great, means we gata keep him, don't it?" She asked. Zack snickered. Ivy looked at him. "I didn't say we were keeping you kid, so you still have these streets and Metric to deal with. Nice knowing ya. Common Fox."

Fox glared, and stood up, helping Cloud to his feet. She went over to Zack and held out her hand. "Hey." She said, giving her friend glares from over her shoulder. Ivy was smacking her head with her fist. "I'm Foxy Magiku. Nice to meet you."

"Zack," Zack pulled his hand from his pocket, shaking hers with a sideways smile, "Zack Flame."

"Awesome. Where are you from Zack?"

"Fox, don't make friendly with street kids!" Ivy snapped. Fox ignored her.

"Gongaga." Zack replied, smiling even broader. He liked these girls. They made an odd pair. One was over serious and one was too friendly. 

"Great! I loved Gongaga. Went there when I was your age. Beautiful place."

"Fox!"

"Ah, sorry. That was so rude of me. This is my friend Ivy Sky." She leaned down to Zack' ear, cupping it with her soft hands." Ignore her," she whispered, "she's not to fond of people."

"You better not forget I'm the one with a loaded gun here!" Ivy snapped. Fox laughed.

"Ah, Mr. Zack Flame. Did you have the pleasure of meeting my younger friend?"

Zack shook his head. "Nah, not really." Fox nodded.

"Cloud, Cloud come here sweetie." The little boy slowly nodded, and pushed his tiny frame from the cement. Silently, head towards the ground, he came to her.

"Cloud, this is Zack Flame. Zack, Cloud Strife. Well, say something kiddo!"

"Hi." the tiny voice of Cloud came, from beneath his hair.

Zack was grinning now, giving cloud an odd look. "Chocobo?"

Cloud looked up at Zack, glaring at first, but upon seeing the grin on Zack's face, a small smile slipped onto his own. Fox giggled and ruffled Clouds hair, or tried to. "Well, Ivy, it appears that I can't just let little Cloud roam the streets alone. And, well, it would be just plain impolite to leave his friend behind, so.?"

Fox stared hopefully at her friend, who was glaring at her. She looked at Zack, then Cloud, then at Fox again. "Please?" the little voice of Cloud piped up, "Please, Miss Ivy? I-I have no where else to go and.and I am very lost."

Ivy looked at the little boy, who looked again like tears would spill from his blue eyes at any moment. She glared at him, the moment her face started to take on a look of sorrow. "Fine." She snapped, looking at Fox. "But don't you dare expect me to be the only one working for their food! Once we can find them some decent work, then they are throwing their fat into the fire!"

With that, Fox let out a little cry of joy and hugged Cloud. Zack shook his head. "Look, lady," he said, putting his hands on his hips and looking at Ivy's back. "I don't want to be a burden. Just show me where I can sign up for SOLDIER and I'll be on my way."

Ivy laughed as she walked up the street, still swinging the gun. "Kid, you need to have somewhere to live in this place before you can go chasing your dreams. One step at a time, or you're going to trip over reality and lose sight of everything."

Zack blinked in confusion, and began to walk beside Cloud and Fox. "What did that mean?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck. Fox sighed.

"It means that Ivy doesn't want you to end up like so many people in this city. She wants you to deal with reality first, deal with the present, and don't look forward to soon, and don't look back."

Zack looked at Cloud, who offered him his right hand to take. Zack nodded, taking the tiny hand. "Oh."


	3. Ivy Sky

Concerning Ivy Sky.

Ivy Sky had given in after about 10 minutes with Cloud, for at the time Cloud was very emotional. He cried, and cried. and cried. Ivy, not a fan of tears, told him if he didn't stop, she'd chuck him out the window of her apartment. He hadn't stopped. Finally Ivy had given in, saying that Cloud and I could stay with her and Fox.

Haha. Looking back, I think Cloud was faking, for the moment Ivy had told him we could stay; he stopped, and had given me a grin. I don't know why we trusted them. I don't know why I trusted Cloud, but I did. Ivy didn't eat us (though.sometimes I was really afraid she would), and she didn't fill us full of bullet holes.

Life was fine with Ivy and Fox. Though it was a three-roomed apartment, we managed to live with it (though, Ivy and Fox had to sleep in the same bed and Cloud and I shared), and everyone was quite happy most of the time. Around holidays though. everything was turned upside down.

Ivy was a very determined young woman, and it's sad that there aren't more young women like her I'm my time, or perhaps in yours as well. Ivy didn't buy things for herself, except some worn clothing from a thrift shop every so often. She always put the rest of us first.

But, back to the holidays.Ivy hated them. She hated everything about holidays, and didn't much care for Fox decorating the small apartment. She didn't mind the gift exchange we did sometimes, but she wouldn't take time off and would have nothing to do with these times of years at all.

I remember once, that first year I knew her, during the Winter Holiday, Ivy had refused to have anything to do with us, if we spoke of this time of year. She was even more bitter and serious then before, which I had never thought possible. Fox said that Ivy was like that because of her mother.


	4. Dan

Dan

"Fox?"

"Yes dear?"

"Why wont Ivy talk to us? Does she hate us now?"

Zack laughed, listening to the little blond talk. "Yeah Cloudy, she hates us. We're the dent in how much she gets to spend on herself."

The red head turned from the stove, glaring over her shoulders at Zack. "That is not so Zack, and you know it! Ivy would never think of herself first."

Zack put his hands on his hips, glaring bitterly at the older girl. "Oh yeah? Then answer Clouds question. Why wont she talk to us?"

Fox sighed, stirring the stew. For a moment, there was no sound in the room but the screeching of tires outside, and the shouts coming from the back allies.

"I…I cant say." Fox muttered, sighing.

"Ha!" Zack leapt from the counter he had been seated upon and went over to the little blond near the window. "Then she does hate us!"

"W-we're not wanted?" Cloud asked in his tiny voice, hugging his teddy bear. Zack glanced at him and wrinkled his nose. 10 years old and the kid still carries about a teddy bear, Zack thought, he's training to be in SOLDIER for crying out loud!

"Ohh… Cloud, Zack, your both wanted. Ivy loves you-"

"Coulda fooled me." Zack muttered, leaning against the wall.

"Look-" Fox spun around, her pony tail fan out behind her as she spun, "She loves you both very much! She just cant show it!"

"And why not?!"

Fox sighed, closing her eyes. "You remind her of her past."

Zack glanced at Cloud, who looked concerned. 

"W-what do you mean Fox?" He asked, blue eyes wide.

Fox forced a smile, turning back to her stew. "If I tell you, will you promise me, on your life, that you'll not breath a word of it?"

Zack frowned. What's she talking about? He asked himself. What does she mean? Why cant we say anything? Not like Ivies gana care really…Right?

"Promise me?"

The little blond nodded, muttering a yes. Zack thought for a moment, but then agreed.

Fox sighed, turning the heat down on the stove and laying down her spoon. She whipped her hands on the apron she wore, and went to the kitchen table. Sitting in one of the worn wooden chairs, she looked at Cloud, then Zack.

"Ivy was born in Gongaga, before you of course Zack. You wouldn't know her, she moved when she was 4. Her father died and because her parents had broken apart, she went to live with her mother and two older brothers."

"So…we remind Ivy of her brothers?" Cloud asked. Fox nodded.

"Yes. One had dark brown hair, and the other the color of Ivy's. Both were tall, and strong, and spiked their hair like you two. Her mother was very fond of them, and though she was a lovely looking women, she never was lovely to Ivy."

Zack cocked his head to one side, frowning. He didn't understand. Fox looked at him, seeing his confusion, and went on.

"Ivy's mother had married another man, and found out he was going to some nasty bars, like a few you find here. He'd get drunk, and find himself with other women. As soon as Ivy's mother, Cathy I think was her name, found out… Well, of course they broke up. Ivy's mother… she became depressed, and took up drinking. Her sons would go out and bring her back some hard drinks, and she'd drink until she passed out usually. Ivy used to hope her mother would pass out, for when she didn't…"

Fox's voice trailed off. Cloud went to her.

"D-did Ivy's mother beat her?" he asked, voice small. Fox licked her lips, but nodded.

"Yes. She wouldn't touch the boys- they left after they gave their mother her drinks. The would go to parties, bars, places Ivy couldn't go because she was so young. Her mother would become violent, and Ivy, being the only person around, would become a punching bag. You have seen the scar on her leg? Her mother did that. She took a kitchen knife and tried to pin Ivy down…"

Zack's eyes had been wide as he listened, but now he managed to say " How do you know all this? She told you?"

Fox forced a laugh. "no. No, she didn't tell me. See, Ivy had moved to my town, and I became her friend. She told me her mother drank, and when she appeared at school…"

"She would be all bruised…" Zack finished for her. Fox nodded.

"Yes. Very badly. Her mother managed to break her arm one year. After that, Ivy couldn't stand it. Her brothers thought she was fighting in school, and so the idiots would punish her. Her mother got at her at night. No one cared. On evening Ivy packed up her things and went to run away. She had tried to go out the front door, but her mother got her. She was struggling through the window, me picking up her things on the outside, when her mother got the knife and took it to her leg. That evening both of us had nearly gotten skinned."

Cloud sat in one of the chairs, eyes misty. "Poor Ivy…" he whispered. Fox nodded.

"that was during the winter holiday. She hates the season because of it, among other reasons."

Zack swallowed. "W-what other reasons?"

Fox looked at him, shrugging a little. "Men in the town we fled to used to pick on her. They used to call her names, and… Ivy never appeared to care… but things like that can truly hurt a person. They used to pick on her because she was weak and plain looking and her dreams were to high. She used to wish she could be in SOLDIER, but only men could join. Women were said to be frail. Ivy hated that. She'd practice different fighting styles all the time, trying to prove she wasn't weak."

Fox smiled now, eyes bright. "I remember one young man though, that never picked on Ivy. He was a young SOLDIER, third class, that was only 14. Ivy was 13 at the time. He would talk to her to try and calm her down, and help her practice. The sword she has, the Buster sword, that was his. He taught her how to use it… He died during this season… A year ago."

"A year ago?! Now I know this is all a lie!" Zack said, laughing. "you and Ivy moved here two years ago!"

Cloud turned around and glared at Zack. "Oh, shut up! Its true what Fox is saying! She is not lying!"

Fox sighed, and placed a hand on Clouds head. "Shh. Zack, Ivy and I did move here two years ago, but we went with that young man. Look, he was planning to ask her to married him. He didn't want to lose her, afraid the boys would run us out of town, so he brought us to his house here in Midgar. On one of his missions, he was shot. Ivy and I moved out of his house, and rented this place."

"Oh…" Zack said slowly, blushing deeply. "Sorry Fox. I shoulda believed you." 

Fox smiled kindly, standing and going to the stove. "Its fine."

"Hey…Um.. What was this mans name?"

A voice came from behind them all, sounding bitter. "His name was Dan."


	5. Running

Gangs, Drugs and Cloud.

Don't wake up now…I haven't finished! Please, you must listen to me! I…I'm not ready to fade. You're my only hope. There is more, its… better, I guess. Not so much history. Please, please, you must know of what I have gone through! You must know of Cloud, and Sephiroth!

…I knew I'd get your attention! Yes, Sephiroth.

At this time, a war was ending in Wutai and though it didn't seem like a war was going on over in Midgar, the news was always talking about it. I think it was the war that killed Dan, though Ivy and Fox both wouldn't say a word.

By the time I became 13, I was in SOLDIER. Cloud… Didn't get the cut. Ivy would do nothing to comfort him, and I was to happy with myself to notice. That attitude got me many cuffs upside the head and I had to sleep out in the hallway for a few nights. Fox had tried to tell Cloud that SOLDIER wasn't worth it, and that to be happy for himself: He wouldn't have to be the ones shipped to wherever if a war broke out. 

Ivy though… Had a different approach. After a few days, she had gotten very sick of my attitude and decided that she would try and "cheer" Cloud up. Her idea of cheering was my idea of just plain mean. 

"Cloud, just be happy your not Zack. He's gana be sent to war one day in the front lines, and his head'll be so big by then it will give the enemy a perfect target to take him out."

Man, I hated her after that. Despised her. I didn't want to be in the house at all, so I'll go wander the streets. I was only 13, but I had run into Metric again, and Spike, and they had introduced me to some of their… friends. They were a little older then me, most, part of a gang. Yeah, I knew then I should have busted them, should have taken them into the Shinra… But what would they do about it? I was more interested in what I would get out of it at the time. Drugs…

Stupid of me, I'm sure your saying. Yeah, it was. I was a real ass to Cloud, for he knew what I was up to (being 12, and my shadow most of the time). He wouldn't tell Ivy, or Fox, because I threatened him daily. I didn't know why he looked up to me. Guess… Guess it was a brotherly love. A bond we'd never break, even through those hard times.

I wont bother showing you what happened. To long to really do it accurately. I'll explain it instead, seeing how your so eager to meet Sephiroth.

I began to like the idea that I'd get some drinks, alcohol, cigarettes, odds and ends drugs. I was pressured into using them at the time, but I didn't care. I'd be so drunk I'd just kind of.. Take the pills or the powders. Didn't matter. We'd all laugh it off after, me going home smelling horrid. Everyone would be asleep. Everyone but Cloud, though I never realized this. He'd followed me, you see. He told me after a year. Every night he'd take the pistol Shinra gave him, and sneak from our apartment. He'd follow me, dressed in his fathers jacket( still to big) and all in black. No one bothered mess with him when he had the gun. All to drunk or stoned out of their minds in this part of town.

One evening, Cloud followed me all the way to sector 5, to the church where my gang and I would smoke and the ones who stole and robbed and hijacked stuff would count their loot. We'd hide it under a floorboard once we had it all counted. Well… Here's where it basically begins.

You see, one night, I think it was September, I kinda went up a rank with the guys in the gang. They wanted me to start robbing. I'd been a pick pocket in till then, laying back and just kinda… going with it. Well, being slightly out of my mind, I agreed. My first… assignment I guess you could say, was to take the valuables from Ivy's apartment.

Before you think me some insane psycho with no love whatsoever for these people who took me in, let me explain myself: I wasn't about to steal from Ivy Sky. Reason one would be: The woman would skin me alive!(she was 19 at this point, and growing more bitter by the day). I wasn't going to have my hide hanging on her wall next to my head! Second reason was we had nothing of value to take, so didn't much do me any good to even try.

Now, when I explained that there was nothing of value, Spike told me to take the weapons, the money, anything old. We were broke. We, Ivy mostly, earned just enough money to get us by with food and drink and pay the rent. When she got a bonus or some tips she'd buy us some clothes( maybe a shirt or a pair of jeans, she wasn't about to buy thrift shop goods. Only the good quality stuff for everyone). Spike said that if there wasn't anything of value at all, nab Cloud…

Man, there you go again. Thinking me an utter mad man. I wasn't going to do it!

But…I found myself agreeing. I didn't bother to fight back. I agreed. Little did I know Cloud was hiding behind the door. Spike forced me to leave, bring Cloud in and hold him for ransom. Well, I left, telling them it'd be a piece of Cake. As soon as I got back to the town though… Well, little Cloud could be seen running in a sprint up ahead. Of course I went after him, and he only ran faster.

I swear, if he hadn't have drop the gun out of fright he would have shot me.

Well, I picked up his gun after tripping on it, and continued after him. Got the little bug right before he reached sector 4, where we lived. He was kicking and screaming and crying all at once. Called me a traitor( among other…colorful things), and said I didn't deserve to be in SOLDIER.I smacked him a few times trying to get him to shut up.

Yes I smacked him! I didn't want him to wake up the whole neighbor hood! I didn't feel good about it, but I had to do it!

He fell after that, sobbing something about having trusted me. I knelt down and told him I wasn't going to do it. I was going to go tell the Shinra about the gang, and then Ivy about my mistake. He didn't believe me. I cant blame him for that either… He was right…

Anyways, after that, I went straight home with Cloud, woke Ivy and explained to her( a few more cuffs and a month out in the hall…No new clothes for me either when she got a raise),then I went to the Shinra. They said they'd deal with it. They didn't do much. All the children involved were returned to their homes, parents informed, and Spike… No idea what happened to him. I didn't have many friends after that…Wonder why…


	6. Cocky

"What are you grinning about?"

"Is it illegal in this house?"

Ivy glared daggers at him, brown eyes flashing red. "Perhaps Zack."

Zack laughed, slinging an arm around his 'big sister'. "The women are felling for me!"

Cloud looked up from his book, frowning. For a moment Zack felt sorry from him. Unlike Zack, Cloud was not so lucky with women. Many teased him.

Ivy blinked. "Well Mr. Flame I'm afraid I have yet to drop dead for your damn sexy good looks, so carry your muscled body and your baby face right out to the kitchen and tell someone who cares: Mainly, Fox and leave Cloud and I be. We were in the middle of a discussion before you came in."

Zack laughed, flopping down on the bed next to Cloud. "Bout what?"

Zack snatched the book from Clouds hands, turning it over. " 'The Planets Unsolved Mysteries'?!" Zack laughed, flipping it over to read the back. Ivy was looking purely amused. Cloud was smiling.

"Oh, Cloud look! He couldn't be bothered to pick up a book before, but when it comes to bothering us in the middle of a theory Mr. Zack thinks he suddenly can read!"

Zack gave her a glare, his mouth still curved in a smile. "Ha ha Ivy. 'Weapon, Jenova, Ancients, the secrets of Cosmos Canyon, Mysteries of the mountains and more!'" Zack burst out into more laughter.

"What the heck, this is garbage." He handed it to Cloud. "But course, Miss Ivy wouldn't think so, would she? Got her head lost in the Clouds, cant see that some LOON published it."

"Zack I'm giving you till three to get out. One"

"Naw. Wouldn't notice. Wouldn't care. Her and Porcupine over here," He patted Clouds back, " Wouldn't care. Both to loony themselves."

"Two."

She never said three, just lunged at him. He slammed to the ground, suddenly bursting out in fits of giggles.

"s-s-"

"Zack! I warned you, you dip wad!"

"I-I- stOP!"

"I'm NOT a loon, you hear me you batty boy!"

"I-NoT a loon. Gotcha!"

"NOR is Cloud!"

"C-ClouD. No-NOT a-a LOON!"

He was trying hard to push Ivies tickling hands from his stomach. Useless. It did no good.

"You will NOT try to kill me again."

"I-I neveR said I was dead sexy!"

"You implied it you cocky, cocky boy!"

Cloud was trying to stop his fits of giggles.

"Y-yeah…"

Ivy's hands stopped and Zack caught his breath, chest heaving up and down. "No-not dead Sexy." He suddenly grinned.

"But you thought so!"

"What?!"

He winked," Hey babe, want to ditch this joint and go get us some beer, maybe a little fun."

"Oh you were so NOT flirting with me!"

She again attacked him with her tickling hands.

"I prefer CLOUD over you, you nasty nasty thing. If anyone here is worth ANYTHING its him! Good looks, brains, and damn, he is not obsessed with WOMEN!"

"I-I- You can HAVE him! I-I don't want you either! I-I got a girl!"

"Good for you, loony bird!" Ivy stood, grabbing Zack by his jacket collar and picked him up, tossing him out the door. 

"now, if you don't mind, Cloud and I are going to finish what we started!"

Zack let out a whistle. "Feisty aint you. All alone in the bedroom. FOX!"

Fox was behind him, having toppled from her chair in fits of laughter at the site. 

"Ohhhh! You're a sick, demented child!" Ivy glared. "Get your damn mind from the gutter!"

With that, the 19 year old slammed the door. Through it Ivy called, "And it's ARENT you poor grammar fool!"


	7. Changes

I knew you were getting board of me. Of my constant… 'Oh don't forget me. Pity me! Pity me!'. So, I showed you an up point in my life. 

Who was the woman I spoke of? An angel. A Goodie goodie angel that, at just 13, I loved. I was stupid.

No, don't get me wrong, I loved Aerith. I really did… but… I left her you see. For…

For…

For a woman that was less then respectable. I would find myself sneaking into bars, or buying drinks and a few friends and I would go hide in the church Aerith was so fond of at night, and invite a few women over for a party. I love women, you see, so…

For Aerith's sake, our love never lasted long. I didn't want to hurt her, and she scared me. Well, not really. You see, she could hear the planet. Speak to the dead…I feared waking up one morning and hearing her speak to me an have ME be dead because of her mother. Or one of the planets goons coming to avenge her… Jeez.

Anyways. What I haven't said is that Cloud and I have already been on a few missions. Nothing much. Patrols of town really. SOLDIER members get to bring along a guard every mission. Someone of their choice, and… as always my little brother would be my companion. I knew he loved adventure, so I brought him along…

But… Soon I went up in rank, fast, climbing to First Class after less then a year. Ivy was to thank. She and her Buster Sword. Fox would lend me hers, and we would fight. Ivy always whipped me good, but her training send me up in ranks fast, for though I was still not as good as Ivy, I was being taught by one of the best ever… and her training was better then some of the pros it seemed, for I became stronger and more skilled then the other men there.

Time went on, and I soon became 14. Cloud turned 13 about a month ahead of my birthday. We had slipped into the month of September when Ivy received an… odd letter.


	8. Human

"Well, isn't this the most amusing thing I have ever read."

Zack looked up from his spot on the floor, Cloud in a headlock under his arm. "Wha?" he asked thickly.

Ivy laughed a little, running her still gloved hand through her hair. "My brothers written me an apology."

Fox turned from the stove, a frown on her face. "An apology? Whatever for?"

Ivy looked at her red haired friend from over the coarse cardstock. "Everything, it seems. Mostly for mother."

Fox frowned, but turned quickly back to the burger cooking in front of her. "Your mother? She cant do it on her own?"

"Apparently not." Ivy stood, walking to the other side of the room and began to shred the letter into little bits. Zack watched every tiny piece fall into the trashcan, not fully comprehending what was going on.

"I don't get it."

Ivy rolled her eyes, looking at Zack with a sideways smile. "You've been told that my mom wasn't exactly perfection. And that she used to take pleasure in drinking and beating me. Like you are to poor cloud right now. Let him go, he's turning blue."

For a moment Zack didn't follow Ivy's words. He looked down at Clouds spiky head under his arm, and at the boys colored face as he was gasping. His eyes wide in shock, Zack let go of Cloud. The younger boy rubbed his neck, breathing heavily. Blushing a bit, Zack rubbed the back of his own neck. "Jeez, sorry cloudy."

Ivy again rolled her chocolate eyes., muttering something about loons and returning to the newspaper she had originally been reading. "Any who, my brother wrote me saying mothers dieing. She's left everything to me in her will, as a sort of repayment."

Fox snickered. "She's going to need more then that to get you to go to her."

Ivy nodded, flipping the page to the outer continent news. "You saw that to, eh?"

"So…" Zack stood, whipping is blue pants and pulling Cloud to his feet. "Your saying your not going to go to your own mother? She's sick Ivy…"

Ivy shrugged her shoulders, reading down through the events as she spoke, "Not me who is going to be complaining. A nice house don't bother me any."

Zack's eyes widened. He has always thought Ivy Sky to be a bitter, cold woman. And… in truth, she had seemed that way for such a long time. Just recently had she lightened up a bit. Been more cheerful and happy and… childish, like Zack. Now he had decided that she was bitter at heart, and pretending to be nice. 

"But that's just- Dude, that's just wrong. Set aside what your mom did and go to her!"

Ivy clenched her fist, closing her eyes. Silently she stood, walking over to Zack. They were eye level in height, both about 6 feet tall now. 

"Zack, have you ever screamed and awoken from a nightmare?"

Zack nervously took a step back. People didn't often frighten him. Ivy… just could. He slowly nodded, but kept a determined look on his face.

"And your parents ran to you?"

"yes…"

Ivy clenched her teeth and opened her eyes, staring into Zack's own deep green ones. "Imagine, just for one moment, that you screamed…And no one heard. You cried, and no one even noticed. That you fell, and everyone walked on by."

At this point Ivy lifted her shirt a little, reviling not only her flat stomach, but a series of very deep scars. 

Cloud was shaking a little next to Zack, closing his eyes. "I'm sorry Ivy." He whispered.

Zack swallowed. "Now, try to wake up from your nightmare more then 10 years later. Tell me, Zack, can you still fell utter happiness as you once did?"

Zack wrinkled his nose. Though pity rung through him, he didn't want to give up. "Ivy, I'm sorry for what's happened to you, but, that was behind you. Cant you forget it?"

Ivy sighed and turned from Zack, going back to the table. " Zack, If I killed Cloud today would you forgive me tomorrow?"

"Ivy, that's different!"

"How?" she asked, sitting down. "How is it any different? Zack, you conceder me a big sister, almost a mother, and if I began to drink and beat up on you, you could beat me up in return. I was small. I was young. I couldn't. I was defenseless. How am I supposed to go back to this woman who never cared?"

"Look Ivy, my family wasn't to brilliant either. You cant say we don't know what your talking about." Zack snapped.

Cloud nodded slowly and went to sit next to Ivy. "Zack is… right."

Ivy sighed. "I'm sure your life was horrid Zack. Keep in mind I knew your parents."

Cloud bowed his head, eyes closed. Softly he spoke, "Ivy… I was 5 when my dad walked out… It wasn't easy for me to watch her crying on the floor. I hated my father. I hated my mother more, though, for letting him leave. I didn't want to forgive her for letting me grow up without a father…But, now that I have left her… I miss her so much." He looked up at the woman, eyes misty. "You've never once had the feeling of wanting somewhere to belong?"

Ivy was watching Cloud, her features harsh. She wrinkled her nose in discuss, and turned away from the boys. "Of course, and I have it. Here."

"Ivy, don't you want a family?"

"Your it. Consider yourself lucky."

Cloud shook his head. "It isn't the same! You disowned your mother, now you've lost all of the things she could have taught you! Don't you want to fix this?"

Ivy said nothing, but simply stared at the wall. Cloud clutched her arm.

"Ivy, don't you want to be able to say, just once, that you love her. That you love her for no other reason then that she made sure you never would treat anyone like she treated you?"

Ivy shook her head a little and stood up, pulling her worn blue SOLDER jacket from the coat rack near the door. 

Cloud and Zack stared as the door slammed behind her. Fox glanced over at them, then sighed bitterly. In a rush she untied the apron around her and tossed it on the table, pulling her own jacket off from the coat rack and running after her friend. Cloud bowed his head, guilt seeping into every part of his body. 

"Its alright Cloud." Zack whispered, placing his hand on the younger boys shoulder. Silently he went over and tended to the food Fox had left. 

From behind him, the small voice of Cloud could be heard over the sizzles from the bacon. "I…hope I didn't hurt her."

Zack glanced over his shoulder, shacking his head. "It would do her some good Cloud. It really would. I know Ivy tried so hard to make it appear that she's got no feelings… but its only because she's forgotten them. You do her good by jolting her back to reality."

Cloud looked up from the floor, blue eyes still a bit misty. "You… Think?"

Zack gave his small friend a grin. "Of course Cloud. Now get some dishes out, and we'll have breakfast."

Ivy and Fox returned at a horribly late hour in the night. Cloud had fallen asleep on the couch, and Zack had just finished covering the boy with the worn quilt from their bed when he could hear the door shut somewhere behind him. Cloud stirred a little, but stayed sleeping soundly. Smiling, Zack left his friends side and went back to the kitchen.

Ivy looked at him as he stepped into her sight, eyes cold. Fox was hanging her jacket. The red head glanced at her friend, giving her a "Well?" look. Ivy was glaring at her from the corner of her eyes, but sighed and looked straight at Zack. "Flame you damn Jerk I should pound you."

Zack took a step back, eyes wide. "What the hell? What did I do now?!"

Ivy walked closer to him, eyes closed now. "Dammit boy…"

Zack swallowed. He almost screamed when he felt Ivy's touch. The girl had flung herself at him, hugging him tightly. "Dammit. You made me remember I'm human." 

Fox was grinning, and Zack slowly smiled, hugging Ivy back. "Sorry Sky, you needed a flash back to reality."

Ivy laughed, letting go of him. "yeah, I guess I did. Sorry bout earlier kid. Its just been so damn long sense I saw her that I just… don't want to. I'm not exactly fond of changes, but… Something's are necessary for us to grow."

Zack nodded. From behind him, he could hear Clouds voice muttering something about evil pink bunnies. He glanced at Ivy, and Ivy at him. Both had grins curling their lips. "Shall we save him from the pink bunnies?"

"And forever embarrass him afterwards?!" Ivy asked, eyes wide. She laughed. "Yes, lets."


	9. Trips

I think after that Ivy really… Changed. But, Ivy was always Ivy.

What I mean to say is… she became more open. If she had a problem, she'd make it known. Not the usual blunt way of saying something was wrong with someone else, but in expressing her feelings. Ivy was rarely sad, or upset. But…we now knew better if she was happy, or troubled… She wasn't a stone as she was before…

Soon, winter fell. The day we were planned to go meet Ivy's mother was the day a horrid storm fell. We would have froze if we had gone to Kalm, or drowned in the white sea. Ivy's brother wrote her about a week after. She had died during the storm. I could tell Ivy was just a little upset, but no one said anything…

Spring came. Quickly. I was pulled from my training, as was Cloud. Ivy explained that if I truly wished to continue training, she'd teach us. That frightened Cloud and myself. We'd never seen Ivy fight with anything more then her gun- and she'd never really fired it.

We packed our bags in late January, gathering everything we owned and brining it outside of Midgar where a pal of Ivy's had left us a truck. If I had feared Ivy's lessons, I feared her driving even more. Luckily though Ivy Sky did not take the wheel. Fox did.

It had already been a very warm day between the four of us( well…Ivy was as warm as always), and I expected such for the ride. I was… surprised in what we got.


	10. Complications

"Ohhhhh, please Foxy?"

"Ivy! I am shocked you would even bring up such a horrid idea!"

Zack's attention to the two women's conversation was blurring in and out. He was having little interesting in what Ivy was begging to do, as they drove. He was having much more fun teasing little Cloud. At the moment, the boys arms were crossed in disgust, shacking as he leaned his head on the partially opened window. 

"But Cloudy, you must have kissed someone other then your mom!"

"Leave me be!"

"He is going to show you his breakfast if you don't such up soon Zack!" Ivy called back. She muttered something under her breath after, but it was to low for Zack to hear. Apparently Fox had, for Ivy soon let out a loud yelp, hand on the side of her face. "Witch!"

"Knock it off then!"

"whatever. Keep your blasted eyes on the road Red."

Zack shook his head, listening to the girls squabble. "what are you two TALKING about?"

"Just sit down and shut up, and if you're a good boy you'll not find out." Ivy teased. Zack had a frightful feeling that the whole conversation had been about some horrid even planned to befall him. Cloud snickered. Apparently he knew what the girls were speaking about.

"what?"

"Just…do as Ivy says." Cloud muttered, wrapping his arms tighter about his stomach. He looked a bit pale. Fox looked back at the boy, frowning.

"There's a town up here I'm going to stop at, it'd be good if you get out and walk around for a bit."

Cloud nodded, closing his bright eyes. Zack sighed, crossing his arms and settling back in his seat.

"So where do you live Ivy?"

"Town doesn't have a name I'm afraid. It isn't exactly a town."

Zack wrinkled up his nose. "then… what is it?"

Ivy shrugged. "I was told that back when the Cetra settled, there was once group of friends that wished not to settle with the others, in their clumps that became our towns. They moved away from the others, going to the forests between Gongaga and Junon."

Zack frowned. "I didn't realize there was a town there…"

"not many do. The trees tower far above the buildings, and their foliage is so thick and large that they cover the homes. The town gets very little light, so we rely on other towns for our food and crops and such. Don't get me wrong, a little light passes through the trees, but after noon it begins to become a very dark place."

"huh…What's it look like?"

"neat. Very neat and clean. All the time." Fox said, turning the car up to a mountain area. She opened the door and stepped out, stumbling on a rock. 

"I'll just be a moment, alright? Cloud, get out and walk about for a moment if you'd like dear." With that, the red head stood and went towards the foot of the mountain. Cloud didn't get the chance to even open his door before Ivy turned about, and Zack grabbed Clouds arm. 

"Well?"

"Zack, I swear, I'm going to be sick. Leave me be!"

Cloud tugged his arm from Zack's grip and kicked open his door. Breathing heavily, he let his feet hit the grass. Ivy shook her head. "Motion sickness. Awful, isn't it?"

Cloud looked over at her with weary eyes. "You've never had motion sickness, so how do you know what its like Ivs?"

Ivy laughed. "I'm trying to be somewhat sorry for you kid. So what was Zack pestering you about?"

"Ohhh, he wont tell me who his first crush was. Or his first kiss, or any of it."

Ivy glanced at Zack through the mirror. "What the hell do you want to know for?"

"My question exactly. I think you cuffed him one to many times." Cloud muttered. Ivy grinned. Zack, though, glared.

"I wish to know so I can forever tease him. The punk bunnies aren't working any longer."

Cloud glared, and Zack knew if the boy had been feeling like himself, Zack would have had a Cloud attached to his neck like a tie.

" Blasted kid claims he's never had a first kiss." Zack muttered. Ivy snickered. 

"Oh, it was most likely someone we know, right Zackie?"

"right Ivs."

"Foxy perhaps?"

"Yes. Quite a looker that woman. Oh! Cloudy is turning pink!"

"Shuddup!" Cloud snapped. Ivy and Zack snickered and giggled between themselves. Cloud glared bitterly back at them. When he say Fox, he was more then egger for her to get in the car.

"So…Was Fox really your first kiss Cloud?"

Cloud slammed his door, and pounced on Zack. Fox gave them both an odd look ,and snapped at them to buckle up as she backed the truck up. The two obeyed with bitter looks. Zack's soon faded and the boy grinned evilly.

"It wassss, wasn't it?" he asked.

"I told you, I don't have a first kiss, so leave me be-"

Suddenly Ivy was half in the back seat. Cloud had been pulled to her, lips pressed to her own. Zack's mouth had dropped open. Apparently Cloud was as stunned at Zack, for he didn't have the wits to pull away. Fox would have surly slapped Ivy if she could, but she was more intent on staying on the road. Ivy let go of Cloud, grinning evilly. "There Cloudy, now you have been spared utter embarrassment, heart break, and shut Mr. Flame up. Hopefully, at least… But what are the chances of that."

Cloud looked like a cherry. Ivy looked un affected, and turned back in her seat. Suddenly Zack was snapped out of his stare, aware that he would beginning to drool soon, then there was a sound of hand meeting head, followed closely by Ivy's yelp. Zack suddenly burst into fits of insane giggles. Cloud began to scream, grabbing hold of any piece of Zack he could, trying terribly hard to get him to shut up. If it were possibly, Cloud turned even redder. Fox seemed to be the only one truly sane in the truck.


	11. There

Apparently Ivy had been wishing dearly to toss me from the truck and watch me bounce in the rear view mirror. Damned woman. 

Haha, she had almost accomplished such a feat. Luckily, Fox had stopped the car and began to lecture her friend. I don't think I have ever seen Fox so mad. Ivy took no heed of it, and just continued her mad fits of laughter, earning her another red mark on her cheek, and a trip out of the car into the grass. 

Fox had not been lying when she said that this town was very clean. It was. No mako reactors, everything was run by materia (very very old materia by the looks of it). All the mastered materia was placed in the center of town, where a large crystal set on a stone was. The materia was used to light the lamps that seemed to be on constantly, and to produce water for the homes and fountains. It was all a very bizarre place.

The town was rather close, and Cloud said it reminded him a lot of home. There were a total of 7 houses, other then Ivy's, a school house, a general store built into someone's home, and an inn atop of the store. The main part of town, where the rock and crystal sat, was all tiled with bright blue and deep forest green. It was a lovely place.

When I realized Ivy didn't live in this part of town, I found myself and the others driving along a small dirt road, where trees lined either side( yet still managed to cover the gap the road made, making it dark enough for us to turn on headlights). Here at the end of the road I saw a house. Cloud was staring wide eyed at it, for it resembled the mansion in his home town.

It wasn't that big, I realize now, but it was pretty close. Ivy said that the house was based off from the Shinra mansion, and was merely a down sized version. Professor Gast and his team had been the only Shinra to know about this town, and had decided to leave it to its beauty and not build a mako reactor here. I was still stunned. Ivy had never mentioned being filthy rich before…

Guess it wouldn't have mattered with Ivy. She would have lived the same way even if she had a hold of all that money.

For awhile things were dull. There were a few women in this town, but nothing worth winning over. Cloud found the place charming, but it was to easy going for either of us. Ivy hated it, you could just tell by the look on her face. The only one of us who seemed at home was Fox. Little earth child. Ugh.


	12. Lake

"Zack…I don't like this…"

Zack laughed, clapping his blond friend on the back. The blond stumbled forward, glaring bitterly at his friend.

"Come come Cloudy, this is mere fun."

"If I didn't know any better, I'd say you just wish to see Fox near naked. Is that my shirt?"

Zack glanced down at the white sleeveless, but ignored Clouds question. The shirt was to big for the boy anyways.

"After living with her, I have no attraction for her… Though, she is gorgeous."

"That is my shirt!" Cloud hissed. He didn't want to listen to Zack's excuses. He made new ones up every time Cloud was dragged down here.

"Oh, dammit Cloud! To hell with the shirt!" Zack glared at his friend and began to pull it off, throwing it in his face. "Happy?"

Cloud smirked, draping it over his shoulder. "Yeah." In truth, he only mentioned it to make the older boy mad.

"Ah, there they are! This way Chocobo."

Zack grabbed Clouds arm, pulling him towards a forest of bushes near the shoreline. The ran the quickest they could, in their crouched position, and dove into the bushes. Well, Zack dove. Cloud was more of… pulled violently down by the larger boy.

"O-"

"Hushhh!" Zack clapped his hand over Clouds mouth, glaring. He could hear Fox dive into the water, and fell Ivy's eyes peering about.

Cloud and Zack had come down here before. They had always hidden in the bushes, and Zack would whistle and giggle in a teasing way as Fox swam. They had never seen Ivy down here. Cloud was afraid she would drown one of them. If so, he hoped it was Zack. Cloud hadn't wished to come down, after all.

Cloud picked up his head, his long blond hair falling in his face. Both young men had decided to keep their hair out of the usual spikes today, for as large and tall as the bushes were, the spikes would not have been hidden well. The blond boys eyes followed the black head of his friend. Zack had crawled off into a different part of the brush, and Cloud was positive a grin was painted on his face. He heard giggles coming from him.

But, they didn't last long. 

"Dammit Flame!" A shrill screech broke out. Zack let out a cry, and began to turn around, running back towards Cloud. Before he even got a foot, he was back on his stomach, being dragged back. Zack's hands tried to grasp of anything, and everything. He gave Cloud a pleading look. Cloud, though, merely shook his head in disgust.

"Bu-! IVY! No, no, no! IT WAS CLOUD! He did it!"

"I cannot believe that he would do such a thing. YOU did it, Flame! You're the one with the friggen criminal record. Cloud!"

There was a splash, as Zack disappeared from the bushes. Cloud couldn't help but laugh, and stand carefully. 

Ivy Sky glared at him, in her to large, black t-shirt. Apparently she had had no plans on getting in the water, for it looked as if she still had her socks on. 

"What the hell-" She seemed to be pushing a black blob under the waters surface. The blob, Zack, was struggling furiously. "Were you thinking?! Letting him out of the H-"

She didn't finish, for she was suddenly pulled under the water. Fox had stopped her swim to look at them, her skin taking in the light off the water. She looked utterly confused.

For a brief moment, Zack appeared, gasping for air and grinning like a maniac. "Woo! The wonderful Sky, down to the darkness of the lake! I am-"

He let out a loud 'ouph' and was falling under.


	13. Breif

I swore the woman was going to kill me then. I had been drug under about 7 time, maybe more (though ,it felt like more after) before I was allowed to walk off.

I came home gasping for air, a black eye, and a great many other bruises. Needless to say, I was followed home. No, not by Cloud, but the other blond.


	14. Building up for the Fall

"Whoo! First class! Wooowhoooo first flippin' class!"

Zack was bouncing up in down, clutching a letter, which seemed to be a bit muddy and a few holes had been punched in it by Zack's shaking fingers. He continued to hop and squeal happily, uncombed black hair falling in his face.

Ivy Sky stood on the stairway landing, head resting against the rail. "Dammit boy!" She yelled, head picking up. Her gun was still pointed at his head. "Shut the frig up or I'll blast another hole into that hollow scull!"

"Ivvvyyyyy!" He squealed. A tired looking blond stumbled from his room, rubbing his eyes. 

"Where's the fire?" He asked numbly. Zack spotted him and let out a loud cry. Feet pounding on the wooden floor, Zack raced over to his friend. He grabbed him tightly around the stomach, creating an 'ouph' sound to come from Cloud's lips.

"First class!" He hopped up and down again. Cloud squirmed. 

"Lem-Lemme go!"

"Cloudy! Cloudy I made it! First Class!"

"Good for you boy. Now do you have any idea what time it is?!" Ivy yelled from her place at the stairway. 

Zack shook his head. "No. To happy."

"Would you like to DIE happy?!"

"Ye-" Zack stopped, dropping Cloud. The boy let out a loud yelp. "HEY! Was that a threat?!"

He turned to face Ivy, eyes wide, hands on his hips. Ivy smirked, coming down the stairs. "Yeah. So shut your trap."

Zack glared. "Common! Someone doesn't reach first class at 15 that often!" 

Ivy shrugged, tapping her gun against the silk p.j pants she wore. "If I cared Zack, I would tell you."

"What's going on in here?" Fox came from her room at the top of the stairs, dressed much unlike Ivy, merely in a skimpy black nightgown. 

"I made it to first class!" Zack yelled. Fox smiled brightly. 

"Oh! Congratulations!"

"Fox!" Ivy snapped, "Don't encourage him to be loud!"

To late. Zack was back to squealing like a child. Cloud had managed to push himself to his feet, tripping again on his to long pajamas. Zack caught him, hugging him tightly. Cloud chocked, but Zack paid no attention. "Be happy for me!"

"He's thrilled Zack. Well, was. Now I think he's just dead. Put him down, he's turning blue."

Zack dropped him. Cloud growled, rubbing his sore knees. "Why do you do that?!" He snapped, lunging at Zack's legs. 

The older boy let out a loud help as he began to fall backwards. A loud thud followed the crash. Ivy was laughing madly. Fox looked quite concerned and rushed to help them. "Zack! Cloud!"

Zack glared at his younger friend, tugging at his head. "Jerk!"

"Show off!" Cloud cried, pulling and pinching Zack. Zack began to do the same to Cloud. "Boys!" Fox cried, grabbing Cloud. Cloud pulled out of her grip, lunging at Zack.

"Ivy! Ivy help me!"

"Leave them Fox! If we're lucky they'll kill each other." Ivy turned and walked into a different room.

"where are you going?!" Fox cried. Ivy snickered.

"I'm hungry. I'm going to attempt to cook something….Or burn down the house, which ever comes first."

A first fight had broken out between the boys once Fox had left, leaving Zack with a black eye, Cloud a bruised arm and split lip, and Ivy a broad grin. Fox was very displeased. "They are worse then you!"

Ivy laughed at her friends comment. "Ah, no. I sent the boys home crying with broken limbs. Not worsen then me. I'm proud though."

Fox gasped and slapped Ivy. Ivy cowered, glaring at her friend. "What was that for?!"

Zack glanced at Cloud, and Cloud at Zack. Both boys looked amused. To see two adults at this was truly surprising. 

"Pathetic." Cloud remarked.

"Sad." Zack replied. Fox looked at them. Ivy to.

"Two women, bickering like this."

"Two grown women…"

"You want me to take my anger out on you two?!" Fox snapped. Zack clutched Clouds arm. Cloud looked over at his friend, wrinkling his nose. "Your such the wimp." He told the black haired man. 

Zack glared. "Hey!"


	15. Swords

I guess…That was my last moment of pure happiness… After I reached first class…

The world began to deteriorate. Everything began to shatter…

I began to think that… things could never be right again…Have you ever felt that way? Lost? Utterly lost and alone and afraid of everything…?

I guess, at first, things were not that bad. Ivy had begun to teach me. I mentioned earlier that she would fight against me and Cloud. She never taught us much, just kicked us about…

She's a marvelous teacher. I learned more from her in a weak then from SOLDIER in a full month. It was amazing. Fox would teach Cloud bits and pieces about sword fighting. One day though, Ivy decided to switch things about…


	16. Fine

"Common Strife! Get up! An enemy wont wait for you to sit and cry in battle!"

" Ivy, give the boy a moment!"

"Fox, if I give him a moment, then he'll always take a moment! If he always takes a time out then he's not going to last to long in this world!"

"You practically killed him!"

Ivy glared, shoving her thumb into her pocket, resting the Buster Sword on her shoulder. "No. If I had meant to kill him, he wouldn't be breathing. I meant to teach him. Now he'll know not to just stand there!"

Fox let out an aggravated sigh and began to run through the snow. Zack grabbed her wrist, shaking his head. "No, no leave him Fox. Ivy's right this time."

He wished dearly she wasn't though. Cloud… looked dead from where he stood. He was on his side in the snow, blood staining his clothing and white powder about him. 

"Kid, you alright?" Zack called. Ivy glared at him.

"Oh, he's fine. Get up Strife, I'm not going to wait much longer."

The older girl marched across the snow, her black boots sinking a bit deeper with every step. Once she reached the blond boy, she tapped him with her foot. "Knock it off boy. I know your not d-"

Before anyone realized it, Ivy was face down in the snow. Cloud was quickly scrambling to his feet, reaching for the girls sword. 

"Woot! Cloud, nice!" Zack yelled to his friend, punching the air. Fox was trying hard not to laugh next to him.

"Run Cloud, run!"

Ivy pushed herself into a sitting position, whipping snow away from her pale face. "Damn boy better run." She muttered, smirking and pulling herself to her feet. When she turned, though, she was faced with the blade of the Buster Sword.

Zack felt Fox's fingers grip his upper arm. "Oh no…" She whispered. Zack glanced at her, then back at Cloud and Ivy. The two were yards away, and if one decided to murder the other, there was no way to stop them. Not in this snow.

"Cloud, don't do anything stupid!" Zack called, taking a step forward. Cloud smirked, and brought the sword up. Ivy was looking oddly amused, and pleased. Quickly, the blond swung.

Ivy was a bit quicker. She ducked the blade with ease, grabbing hold of Clouds wrists and tossing him over her slim body. He dropped the blade, and the girl scrambled to retrieve it. Gripping the hilt tightly, she pointed the sword at Clouds throat. 

"Don't try that again kiddo. Not on me." She was grinning, despite the ferocity in her voice. "But that was good. Very, very good."

Zack and Fox both stopped. They realized that had broken into sprints, racing at Ivy and Cloud. Now Zack fell over in the snow as Fox slammed into him. Ivy glanced over her shoulder at the two, and shook her head in disappointment. 

"Children. Common Strife, lets get this wound wrapped up." She tossed the sword aside and helped to pull Cloud to his feet. He clutched his bleeding arm and nodded.

Zack watched the two walk away, a frown on his face as he stood. "Foxy… What happened?"

Fox looked as utterly lost as Zack.

"Talk to me."

Cloud looked up from his hot chocolate, watching Ivy sit herself on the kitchen counter. 

"…Oh, its you. Hmm… Zack? Yeah, give me a moment, Rick." Ivy looked over in Zack's direction. The black haired man picked his head up as he hung his jacket. 

"Hm?"

"A Rick Neyvor. SOLDIER dispatcher or some such nonsense. Catch."

Ivy tapped the phone on the counter a few times, before picking it up and chucking it. The black object whizzed passed Clouds head. The boy jumped, startled, and heard it land in Zack's hands behind him.

"Flame here…"

With that, the black haired man left the room. Ivy looked at Cloud, then Fox, who was finishing dumping snow from her boots. Cloud strained his ears to hear Zack's conversation, but couldn't. Ivy sighed and pushed herself from the counter, picking up the bandages and going back over to Cloud. 

"didn't realize I got you so deep kiddo. Sorry about that…"

Cloud shivered as she wrapped the bandages about his arm. "Its fine Ivy. I know what you were trying to do."

"Murder you." Fox teased. Ivy snickered. 

"Fox my dear, sleep with your eyes open and you may witness a murder. Or may not, depending on if you die."

Fox blinked, then wrinkled her nose. "And that makes…what sense?"

Cloud laughed a little, sipping his hot coco. Suddenly Zack's voice split the silence. "What?!"

Ivy's head jerked up. She finished wrapping Clouds arm and disappeared into the entry room. Within moments she had rushed back into the kitchen, pulling on her jacket and grabbing her gun. 

"Fox, put your shoes back on. Help Cloud."

Fox frowned, but did as she was told. "what's going on?"

"The towns being attacked." Ivy muttered. The mansion was so far out that the hadn't known someone was attacking. "Zack claimed SOLDIERS down there now. Hurry, hurry." 

She tossed Fox her own gun, and handed Cloud the red heads sword. "Think you can wield it?"

"Flame! Here!"

Rick was young looking. 22 at the most, Cloud assumed. His skin was tanned, and he hadn't dressed for the winter weather over here it seemed. He was wearing a pair of black jeans and a sleeveless shirt, shivering terribly in the cold. A pen was in his hand, and a clipboard in the other. 

Zack glanced down at Cloud, then ran up to this man. Cloud trod after him. He wasn't sure what was going on. Looking about, he could see the inn on fire and a few normal guards trying to put it out. The few cars in the town were thrown on their sides, filled full of bullet holes, blood staining the ground about them. There were two wounded people near the cars, and even more wounded soldiers sitting in the back of a truck. 

"It seems they have gone to the schoolhouse." Rick said, running fingers through his short, curly dark chocolate hair. "Group of 10. Very heavily armed. Sharp shooters it seems, or something along those lines. I cant believe it. Only one SOLDIER member was off duety other then you, and they couldn't get him over here in time."

"How did you manage to get here?" Zack asked, frowning. 

"I was in Junon, going back to Midgar. My vacation was up. A great many guards were on the ship with me. We saw smoke rising from the trees and rushed here. They have taken most people here hostage. We managed to wipe out a few of their men, and keep them from going to the mansion, but they took the hostages into the school building. Their aren't that many men able to fight left, Zack."

Zack nodded and looked at Cloud. Cloud swallowed. With a sideways smile, Zack looked over at Ivy and Fox. Fox had found a young girl not to far away wounded, and was carrying her over to the first aid truck. Ivy was watching Rick.

"How many?" She asked. Rick looked at her, raising an eyebrow. "Don't play stupid Rick. How many are left that can fight?"

"Erm," Right looked down at his clipboard, skimming through quickly. "probably 11 or so. We only had 20 people to begin with."

Ivy nodded. "Alright. Fox and I will split them up. Zack will take the extra-"

"The extras this kid." Rick tapped Cloud on the head with his pen. Ivy glared. 

"Zack will take Cloud and go in. Fox and I will find a way into the building with our teams-"

"Miss Sky, you've no authority over th-"

Ivy let out an exaggerated sigh and grabbed Rick by his collar. "Look, darling, this is my town. These men are the only thing left to protect it, would you like to lead them in there? I know you've got a little girl now. How would you like it if you never got to see her again? The way things look, you'll either flee from this place or lead them in there with those wacko's. Fox and I know perfectly well how to handle this."

Rick grabbed her hands and pulled them off him. "Ivy, I realize you do. They wont listen to you." Ivy glared and walked off in the direction of the school building, where the remaining guards were huddled. Fox glanced at Rick, then ran after Ivy. Cloud swallowed.

Sighing, Rick looked at Zack. "Damned woman's going to get us all killed."

Zack glared. "Look, it's the best shot we have it seems."

"What?! Look Flame, we don't even know what room the townspeople are being held in. they haven't said what they plan to do with them or why they even want them. They just came here and started to shoot like mad it appears."

Cloud frowned. Suddenly a thought dawned on him and he spun around. "The materias' gone!"

Zack looked at his blond friend, then at the crystal…

But there was no crystal.

"We noticed that when we came in here. That materia and the crystal is what keeps this place from being over run with monsters."

"Someone held a grudge then. Come on Cloudy." Zack began to run towards the school. Cloud looked over at Rick, then followed his black haired friend. 

"Zack- What do you plan to do?"

"I don't know. If we are lucky, we'll catch a few men off guard." He stopped and grabbed a gun from the snow. He shoved it into Clouds hands and began to run again. Cloud looked down at the standard guard weapon, then slung it's strap over his shoulder and ran after Zack. 

He was frightened. What if neither of them made it out? He wasn't ready to die at 14.

"How are we going to get in without being noticed?" Cloud asked, following to the gates. Zack smirked. 

"That happens to be the easy part." 

Zack was running alone the hedges, ducking as he went. Cloud followed his friend, confused on what he was doing. Zack stopped suddenly, and knelt on the ground. 

"what are you doing?" Cloud asked, watching as Zack began to push aside snow. Zack glanced up at Cloud.

"There was a door here. I found some old blueprints of all the buildings in this town in the basement. There was a door about here that led into the school. Well, down into all the piping. Ah!"

Zack's hands curled over a black ring. Cloud could now see the form of a door just wide enough for a young man to slip through. Zack took a deep breath and tugged upward. The iron door pulled up a little, but not enough for either boy to fall down. Cloud quickly grabbed hold of the ring and tugged up as well.

With a loud, long creek, the door flung open. Zack sat back in the snow, giving Cloud a sideways smile. With that, he looked down into the dark hole.

"I don't see anyone… Alright, common."

Zack showed himself into the hole, slipping down quickly. His hands clutched the rim of the opening, before disappearing into the black. A small thump followed his drop. Cloud swallowed, waiting a moment. He wasn't sure if he wanted to go into this place…

"Common!" a very low whisper called. Cloud nodded slowly, then closed his eyes and shoved himself in as well. His hands didn't manage to grip the edge of the door, and he fell down into the dark. Something grabbed him before he hit the cement though. 

"Careful Cloud." Zack whispered, setting him down. "Going to end up hurting yourself." Cloud nodded, but said nothing. 

He could hear Zack rummaging through his pocket, muttering something about needing a flashlight, or a lighter, or even a match. Cloud carried none of this things. Apparently neither did Zack, for after a moment a sigh came from in front of him, and someone grabbed his shirt. "Common."

Zack began to walk forward, and Cloud came with him, being pulled almost. They walked in silence, for Cloud was to frightened to speak and Zack was too. Cloud could just barley hear the tapping of Zack's fingers on the piping, and the scuffing of his feet as he made sure they were not about to run into anything. A few times during their walk, Zack would shove Clouds head down, or pull on his shirt to get him to go another direction.

It didn't take the two that long to maneuver through the obstacle course of the school basement. In less then a minute they could see light coming from somewhere, and soon after that a staircase came into view. Zack turned his head to Cloud now and tapped the gun on his shoulder, then the sword, as if reminding him Cloud that he carried them. Cloud nodded, and glanced at Zack's back. He could see the hilt of the Buster Sword. With a sideways smile, Zack patted his younger friend shoulder, and began silently up the stairway. Cloud followed behind.

As they reached the landing, and doorway, Zack glanced at Cloud, then out through a little window. No one was in the hallway it appeared, but Zack's mouth fell open. He glanced at Cloud, then moved out of the way little. Cloud glanced at his friend, then stood up to the window.

His mouth to fell open.

"Wh-what happened?" He asked, forgetting to keep silent or even whisper.

The hall was at one time a shining white color, with marbled tiles and spotless walls. Now, though, they would probably never be clean again. Blood was splattered everywhere. Puddles had formed on the tiles, and the cracks had become a home for blood. Hand prints had been smeared on the walls, making Cloud think that someone had slammed into them before falling. A lump lay in a doorway, covered with a blanket. Cloud guessed what it was, and hopped he was wrong.

"I…don't know Cloud… Common…"

Zack slowly touched the door knob, but his hand didn't get the chance to turn it. A bullet suddenly pinged off the ceiling above them. Zack grabbed Clouds head and shoved him down, ducking himself. His hand reached to his hip, where he drew a pistol. He flattened himself against the wall, as did Cloud, and peered into the dark. Nothing.

"Cloud, get out into the hall. Just keep going down it, there's a doorway. Someone must have heard that."

Cloud glanced at his friend, then the doorway.

"Zac-"

A bullet sunk its self into the wall, right near Clouds head. Cloud shivered, feeling like his heart would beat through his chest. 

"Hurry." Zack pushed himself from the wall, and began to fire off to his left, all the while running down the stairway. Cloud swallowed, then jumped to his feat and pushed open the door.

He slipped into the hall, almost falling down on his back. He felt slightly sick at the sight of all the blood. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he began to run down the hall. He had not gone far before someone grabbed his arm and pulled him into a room. A gunshot went off the moment he was out of the hall.

Clouds heart pounded faster, and the world spun about him. He shivered terribly under his jacket. "Fuck."

Cloud picked up his head, recognizing the voice. His vision stopped its double spin, and he realized it was Ivy. A few men in blue were behind him. 

"Kid, where Zack?"

Cloud swallowed, shaking his head. "D-down in the basement."

Ivy swore and set off another bullet of her own. A thud sounded. Cloud knew she had gotten her target. He watched her scan the halls, before she disappeared into them. The men in blue filled out, following her with their guns at ready. Cloud counted each as they went by him. 3 of them. 

He looked around him, realizing he was in a small classroom. The desks had been overturned, and a small door like the one Zack had opened was on the left hand side. He could hear peoples shouts coming from it faintly. A bullet pinged off something nearby, making Cloud jump.

"What the hell?! Go back and get him dammit!" he heard Ivy's voice scream from down the hall. He heard feet running back towards him. One of the guards in blue soon appeared at the doorway, but didn't make it in. He dropped, falling forward towards Cloud. 

Cloud swallowed, fear making the world turn black. Blood was spilling from a wound in the mans back. He could faintly hear people dropping in the halls.

"Fuck. Fox! Dammit, get in here!" There was a muffled reply to Ivy's voice, but cloud couldn't make out the words.

Suddenly, noises come sounder from the hole. He turned his head, feeling sick. A hand appeared, then another. He back up slowly, away from the hole. His hands shaking terribly, he pulled the gun from his shoulder and pointed it at the hole.

A mans head appeared. At the sight of the gun, he fell back into the hole. Cloud didn't even pull the trigger.

"Ivy! There coming this way!" He screamed, jumping to his feet and running to the doorway. A soldier in blue ran to him, at Ivy's command, and shoved his way into the room. He began to open fire in the hole in the floor. Cloud stared at him for a moment, before running out into the hall. 

It was almost empty, save for Ivy, a lone guard, and a few bodies. The guard was panting, lying on the ground. Ivy was holding her arm, blood pouring from under her hand. She didn't seem to feel any pain, or at least, her face didn't show it. Down the hall he could see, in a room, a fist fight had broken out. He guessed that Fox and her group were there. Gunshots were being fired off from the basement.

"Ivy! Did Zack come up?" He called, running over to her. He looked at her arm, and pulled off his jacket. Ivy shook her head, as if telling him not to bother. 

"Zack hasn't come up yet. Save your shirt kid, I'll live."

Cloud nodded slowly, but couldn't help but worry about her. He could see that she had gotten a fist to the face, for her cheek was swollen a little. Her shirt had been torn, and blood stained the fraying ends. A long, thin cut was just under the cloth. Apparently Ivy had gone first, and last it seemed, into everything.

Something slammed against the door down the hall. Fox's red hair appeared briefly, before it sunk out of sigh. Ivy and Cloud shared the same though for the moment, glanced at each other, and ran down the hall.

Ivy reached the door first, pulling it open and immediately taking someone out. She avoided Fox's limp body and the floor. Cloud followed her in, doing the same. His gun went to the last person in the room. A woman, it seemed, in black leathers. She had her own gun pointed at Ivy. 

"Drop it darling." She said. Cloud recognized the accent. They had to have been from his home. He couldn't tell who it was though.

Ivy smirked. "Shoot then. What will you gain?" 

The woman's eyes flickered to Cloud. Her green orbs scanned his body, then Ivy's. Suddenly she grinned. "Oh…Sky, wasn't it?"

Her gun suddenly changed targets. Clouds eyes starred down the barrel of her gun. "yes…Ivy Sky."

"Funny, I don't tend to make acquaintances with killers"

The woman laughed. "Jody Gelet ring any bells darling?"

Ivy's grin, which she has painted on her face after the woman spoke, now died. Her eyes widened a little.

"Gelet?"

"Oh, it does get through that thick skull of yours. Yes darling. Now put down the gun, or the kid goes. Then I will have won even in death."

Ivy glanced at Cloud. Cloud swallowed.

"Now, Miss Sky, if you please." Jody demanded. Ivy glared at her, and dropped the weapon.

"You always were a witch."

"Yes, I know. Now, kick it over here darling. Boy, come to me."

Cloud glanced at Ivy, who looked bitter but not defeated. She placed her foot on the gun and slid it over. The woman stopped it under her own booted foot. She looked Cloud in the eyes and nodded.

Cloud took a step. "Good darling. Come to me. You're my ticket out. Miss Sky, if you know what's best for the child, you will not fire on us." She reached for Cloud.

But, that wall all she had the time for. Before anyone realized it, let alone the woman, Jody Gelet was falling backwards.

Ivy had grabbed Cloud, pulling him down (merely out of habit, it seemed). She glanced next to her, to see Fox holding a small, single shot pistol, before she shook and closed her eyes. Ivy quickly scrambled to her friends side.

"Fox? Dammit." Ivy glanced at Cloud. "Kid, go find one of the guards. Tell them to get Rick and have him bring a truck around."

Cloud nodded. They must have gotten the hostages, he thought, and if not, they probably will soon. He scrambled to his feet and ran out into the hall. It didn't take him long to find a guard and tell him Ivy's message. The man in blue ran to get the request done with.

As Cloud turned around, he saw Ivy walking up the hall with her gun, tapping it at her side. Cloud frowned, and silently came up next to her. The woman pushed him behind her, against the wall. 

"There up here. They probably either killed them all by now, or ran. Go check on Zack. I'll be alright."

Cloud frowned. At the moment, he felt Zack could wait, but Ivy apparently thought she could handle this herself. He gave her one last glance, before turning and running back towards the basement. A guard was running out of the doorway when he got there.

"Hey!" Cloud called, but the man didn't stop. Cloud swore, and peered down into the darkness. Perhaps he ought to wait in till some light came on down there. 

He could hear the truck behind him, and the guard running back. Rudely, he pushed Cloud aside. Half way down the stairs he stopped and turned back to the blond.

"Kid, come down here. Hurry up, you need to help me carry these men."

Frowning, he ran down after the man in blue. The lights flickered on above him. Glancing up, he saw the ceilings were covered with dusty, brown cobwebs. Spiders hung, staring hungrily at them. Cloud shivered, and followed the man. The first thing he saw when he reached the bottom made him gasp.

"Zack!"

He raced over to his friend, kneeling down and grabbing his hand. The man was unconscious, and blood rolled from under his hair. His shirt had been devoured by a crimson color, and a few purple bruises were across his face. He didn't seem to be breathing, or even alive. Cloud felt his heart race, and the world stop.

It took him several minutes for his mind to come back on, as well as the sounds. "Aye! Move you!"

The man who had led him down the stairway, and Rick, shoved Cloud out of the way. The lifted Zack on a cot and began up the stairs. He realized Ivy had come down to kneel next to him, her hand clutching his shoulders.

"Ivy…?"

"Kiddo, common…" she was trying not to sound sad, or guilty. It wasn't working. Suddenly Cloud realized he was being pulled, as if by an invisible hand, up the stairway.

"What…" He didn't understand. Suddenly, he saw the back of the truck. A few people, some dead, many severely wounded.

He suddenly could smell the blood beneath his feet. He felt Ivy's rough, bandaged hand on his shoulder. He could hear his heart pounding. He could feel pain in his body, fear flooded him. He noticed the black color of Rick's jeans more then he had before. He saw all the wounded staggering to the truck. The truck its self, splattered with cold snow and blood.

And it hit him

"No! No you cant do this!" Cloud screamed, trying to grab hold of Zack's hand once more. He suddenly realized what they were trying to say. What everything was saying.

"Ivy! Ivy what are they doing!" He was so confused. He could feel tears burning his eyes and sliding down his cheeks. Ivy slowly came to his side, rubbing a deep gash on her cheek. 

"Common kiddo…"She said, voice grave. She slid her hand about his shoulders. "Lets go for a walk or something…"

"No! No!" The thought of his mother, taking him for a walk when his cat died reached his mind. 

"He's not-" He pulled out of Ivy's grip, but the girl snagged the back of his collar. Cloud stumbled backwards, trying to pull her hands away.

"He's not dead!" He screamed, trying to fight Ivy's hands slinking around him. "No!"

"Hey, hey, shh…" Ivy whispered, forcing him to his knees, arms wrapped around him tightly. "Shh, breath Cloud."

"No! He's-" he realized tears were burning his eyes and sliding down his face. Ivy placed her head on Clouds shoulder, and her cheek against his own. 

"Shh…Its alright. Breath Cloud."

He could feel her own tears mixing with his. One of her hands went to take his. He squeezed it, watching them lift Zack's body into the back of the truck.

"No…No…Ivy…"

"Shhh…" 

Cloud could see them lying his friend next to a red head. Who it was never even crossed his mind.

"It'll be alright…"

"Ivy…Zack's not…"

"Shh…Breath Cloud. Just breath. It'll be alright. Everything's fine."

He could feel her stroking his hair. Closing his eyes, he wished dearly to rewind. Go back to the beginning and start all over. He didn't want this. 

"He's not…He's not dead…"

"They'll be fine…"

"He's not…death though…"

"Shh…They'll be fine…"


	17. Dreams

I had though…I was dead. I had thought that there was no way I would wake up. I kept…replaying all the moments…I kept thinking of Ivy, and Fox and Cloud. I kept hoping dearly that Cloud had made it out alright. That Fox was still smiling. That Ivy was still as bitter as always. 

I dreamed… Of heaven I think. My mother always used to talk of such a place. It was…bright and pure and everything was always so clean and everyone was always happy…

In my dream, I wasn't happy. I was lonely. I think while dreaming, I wished Cloud had died to. I wished he and I could talk just for a little while…

And I dreamed of having one last day to live. Staying in a little bed, in a medical center, blind and broken and in pain… but happy. Happy because Cloud was talking to me, and Fox was holding my hand and Ivy was saying how she'd not let me fade away…

I guess… That dream made me start all this. Made me wish to show you my life… I don't want to be forgotten…


	18. Love

The crystals and material that the town once held were gone for good. Shot and shattered by the people who attacked the small place. In time, everyone there knew the monsters would realize that the barrier was down. They would be overrun. People began to pack the moment they returned to their homes.

Ivy and Cloud were away when such a mad scramble occurred. It was just a day after the attack. Ivy had refused to be kept away from her friends for longer then necessary. She soon found that all the Shinra had gone to Junon. That's where she had gone.

Visits to the small building set up as a medical station became long and frequent. Zack was alive, much to Clouds relief, and so was Fox. Cloud became very ashamed of himself, for not even noticing Fox was gone. He hadn't even offered to comport Ivy in her silent pain.

Fox was in worse shape then Zack. The black haired man had been knocked out, banged up, and cut up by someone blade. A few fists to his stomach and one blow to the face was it. He was able to sit up in bed in a day, walk a few feet in two. Fox couldn't even sit up. Ivy stayed at her side from the moment visiting hours were open and in till they closed.

Now, she sat at the foot of a small bed, eyes closed, stoking a pale and bandaged hand. Cloud lay in the bed next to that, sleeping soundly. Zack had managed to move from his own bed to give Cloud room, and was now slumped in a tattered chair behind Ivy.

"I look horrible.." A small voice said. Zack looked up at the sound, at Ivy. The girl looked as if she was fighting off tears. 

"No…Fox, you look fine."

"Look at me, and tell me that."

Zack looked at the girl. He knew what she looked like. He had not been able to take his eyes away from her for a moment. Her head was wrapped in blood stained bandages. Her red hair looked dull, and faded. Her eyes, once a violent green, were dull now. Always closed. She was blind.

"I am looking at you." Ivy whispered, containing to stroke her friends hand absentmindedly.

"I know you better then that, Ivy. Look at me."

Ivy didn't want to. Zack couldn't blame the woman. To see a lifelong friend, a woman who had saved her from a prison her home had become, in such a state was horrible. But, Ivy Sky forced her eyes from her coarse boots to stare at her friends bruised and worn face.

"Fox…"

"How long do you think I can live like this, Ivy? I feel every scar, every bruise, every bump, every moment in that place as if it was all re-playing. How long do you think I could go on not looking you in the eyes and seeing you? How long do you believe I could walk about the house without breaking down?"

"Your not going to die on me. I'm not going to let you."

Zack bit his lip. He would have left the room, if he felt he could walk more then 5 feet. He was to weak. To tired. He dropped his head, and tried to block out the girls conversation.

"Remember…when we were little? We had a play in out school. I was the pretty little princess, and you were my lonely knight. We got those parts for the wrong reasons. I couldn't act to save my life then, but I was 'cute'. And you- you beat up on anyone who picked on me. You were my knight to our teachers."

Ivy nodded, dropping her head. "I…I remember it."

"Good…" Fox turned her head from Ivy, but continued to speak. "Can you remember one of the last lines we had together?"

"I…No…"Ivy shook her head. Zack knew she did. Ivy didn't forget things like that so easily.

" I said "The dragons coming, knight, and he wants to eat me up." and you, and it wasn't even the right line, said "I wont let him. Let the demons come. I will protect you in till the end. "You…you were always so much more grown up then the rest of us…Iv held onto those words forever Ivy. I have kept them inside me for so long. I knew that, come dart, arrow, bullet, beast, or even dragons…you'd come save me from my shadows. From all my fears…"

"I…always will. You saved my life, Fox. Its my repayment." Ivy whispered. Zack could tell form her voice, she was losing her grip.

"And…I know you will…But…Tomorrow is the end of always…and though I know forever we will stay friends…we wont stay forever…Its my…my time to leave you…"

"Fox…"

Suicide, they called it. They were right, and everyone knew. Ivy knew. They had called the house, late the fifth evening, just before Ivy returned to the house from her visit. Zack had answered, Cloud overheard, and both stared at each other. They had shared the same though : How to tell Ivy her best friend committed such a thing?

The girl walked into the house just as Cloud and his black haired friend went into the main room. Ivy stared at them, seeing the grave look on their faces. "What…?"

Cloud glanced at Zack, who was having a hard time swallowing.

"W-well…"He started, glancing up at the taller man again.

Zack, finding the silence that followed Clouds voice frightful, went to Ivy, taking her worn and faded jacket from her hands. "Hey Ivy."

"Flame…what's going on?" She asked, letting him place an arm about her shoulders and steer her towards the sofa. 

"I…Maybe you should sit. Cloudy? Can you get something for us to drink?" Cloud nodded, licking his lips and scurrying off to do Zack's request.

"Zack!" Ivy snapped, glaring at him. She didn't sit, and neither did he. "what's going on?!"

Zack bit his lip. It hurt. How could he tell her Fox's fate?

"Ivy…Fox…Fox has…"

Ivy was searching his face with cold eyes. "Flame, stop the drama and tell me!" she snapped.

"She's…committed suicide…"

Ivy blinked. She shook her head, a smile painting itself on her lips. "Don't- don't lie to me Zack. Its not funny."

"I…I wish I could be lying…"

Ivy swallowed, continuing to shake her head. Her body soon was trembling terribly. She was laughing a little as she stood there. Zack watched her, body going cold when she suddenly slumped to the floor, holding her hair, letting out a small scream.

"this…this is a lie…" She whispered, tugging at her hair. Zack quickly knelt down to her, silently and gently pulling her fingers away from her hair, keeping them clutched in his hands. 

"Your…your lying to me…" she whispered, trembling harder. 

"Ivy…I…" He hated this. I wished he could just back up. Just start again. Erase the words time had set out for them. He didn't like this. It wasn't Ivy. Ivy Sky didn't have pain, didn't have emotions of regret or sorrow… But…

But here was her imposter, sobbing and shaking and crying in front of him.

"I'm…I'm so sorry…"

"no…No, no, no!" she screamed, trying to yank her hands from Zack's grip. He didn't let her. He refused to let her. When in deep emotions, Ivy had always been violent. He wouldn't let her now. He knew she may follow Fox if he left her go.

"Stop! Stop it. Ivy…" He heard Cloud come into the room, and felt him pause in the doorway.

"Ivy…" Clouds small voice came from behind them. Ivy refused to look up. She continued to shake her head.

"She not dead, dammit! I just came from there! She cant be dead!"

The woman managed to yank away from Zack, scrambling to her feet. Zack reached out to grab her, before she ran to far, but she darted away to fast. Zack jumped to his feet, spinning around just in time to see her push past Cloud. The smaller boy let the things he held crash to the floor, shattering in a pile of glass. He looked at Zack, then ran into the kitchen.

Ivy had found the phone, sitting on the counter as she usually did when speaking into it, wringing her hands around it as she hung on every ring, and every word. Cloud quickly ran to her, trying to take the phone from her. 

"It- Ivy, its no use!" He said, as she kicked him away from her. "She's gone!"

Zack slid into the doorway, watching the two. Ivy was chewing her bottom lip between every sentence she managed to get out, hanging on the words of whoever was on the other end. "Fo-Fox Magiku?"

Zack watched as tears swelled in her eyes, and splashed to the tiled floor. Suddenly Cloud was ducking, and the phone smashed against the wall, near Zack's head. Ivy was slowly slipping off the countertop.

Cloud caught her, holding her tightly as if she were a small child. "Its…we're here Ivy…"

Zack nodded, clossing his eyes and feeling tears fall down his own cheeks. He tried not to spill to many. He needed to be strong right now. He needed to be someone to lean on… for Ivy, and Cloud. Ivy especcialy.

Silently he went across the room to the two, and wrapped his arms around Ivy. "Easy Sky…"

"Shut up…Just shut up…" she whispered.

A full two hours had passed before Ivy had calmed down to a point where she wasn't screaming, or breaking things, or hitting people. She sat between Zack and Cloud, on the couch. Cloud had his head resting on her lap as he slept, having cried himself close to sleep, sharing Ivy's sorrows. His arms were wrapped about the girls waist. Ivy had one hand resting on his head. Zack had to wrapped his arms around the older woman, head resting on her shoulder. They were like this more the share Ivy's emotions and keep her down, then to injoy such a position.

"I suppose even the best warriors get to cry, right Ivy?" Zack asked, opening one eye.

"…I knew her all my life, Zack. Do you understand what she meant to me? Do you understand how much I admired her, loved her, wanted to protect her, for just these reasons?" the dirty blond replyed, shivering still, tears still falling.

"I understand. You were hard because you didn't want her to face a downfall. You were mean because people in reality are mean. You hurt everyone with you blade and your words because people out there would do the same to us. I understand Ivy. I'm not trying to pick on you, I'm trying to show you: Tears aren't a weakness. They are an escape. They don't show breaks along the surface of our soul… They show our soul is filled with love for the ones we cry for."

Cloud looked up at the two, befor clossing his eyes. "It shows you loved her, and you feel her sorrows… and her pain…and that she was important to you. That she wasn't just a face you saw in the street."

"I…I cant do this…" She whispered.

Zack felt a tear slid down his cheek. "We'll make it through Ivy. If… If Cloud and I promise you that…that we are going to stay with you, in till the end…will you promise us that you wont follow her?"

"I…"

Cloud swallowed. "Ivy…Cowards run away where the truly brave suffer through their pain. Those who care allow their loved ones to be cowards just once in their lives, and let their bravery and loyalty make them hero's.…You…You have never been one to run away from anything… Don't run away from this life…"

Zack nodded, looking down at his blond friend. "Don't run away from the love we are willing to give you. Don't run away from the pain… Its not so bad when you have people here who will share your sorrows…"

Ivy stroked Clouds hair, eyes closed, and leaned her head against Zack's. "I wont…I wont run away…"

Zack sighed. "thank you…"

Ivy swallowed. "No…thank you…Wi…without you two I…"

Cloud shook his head, yawning a little. "Don't…it doesn't matter. We know…"

Ivy smiled. "thank you… I… I love you two… Don't leave me alone…"


	19. Lies

It felt as if I was living a dream.

No. No, not a dream.

A nightmare. The nightmares that had haunted me as a child. That had followed me from my bed, the night I left home. They had hidden in the shadows, watching as I grew. Feeding off my emotions. My feelings. Writing a book of my life and, ultimately, the endings.

The endings of everyone, it seemed. They were demons, not nightmares. They took in Clouds life, Ivy's life, Fox's life. They toyed with my head, mashed up reality at times. Made up different downfalls for the people most important to me and-

Once they found the most life shattering way for someone to end, they cut the strings, started their little game. The game of Life, I guess. I was merely a pawn in their games. A pawn they could make bleed and cry at will. We all were.

I cried, that night. Cried a river of tears, screamed even, into my pillow. I could hear Ivy moving about her room, above my own. Could hear her tossing things about, and muttering as she walked aimlessly. She wasn't sobbing as I was. Or as Cloud, merely across the hall. Cuts healed to quickly for her own good, even the deepest such as this.

This went on…slowly, after Fox's death. There was no cheer in the house. It seemed gray, and dark, and gloomy, like any color that had once rested in its halls had been drained. Smiles were rare among us for days.

Shinra guards had come to the town again. They surrounded it, and were substituted in and out when one got tired. They shared shifts. Rick claimed that they would be there only for a week. After, they would leave even if people were still inside the town. He said Shinra couldn't be bothered with such small matters. They had more important things on their mind.

And, so did I now. I was to return to Midgar, soon. Cloud as well, for he had been assigned as a body guard of me ( something I had pushed for long ago. I think Shinra was frightened of Ivy's rage, if the two of us should be separated from her, and not together). Ivy claimed she wouldn't leave her home, not even after the town had been emptied. Soon, the guards left, and so to the towns people. I took Ivy's truck, some clothes, a few belongings, and so did Cloud. We left for Midgar the same night as the guards, with heavy hearts. It was only seven days after Fox's death, and Ivy was alone.

We had… lied… in a way…lied to this woman who brought us up. Who took us in after we had left our warm homes to come to the cold city of Midgar. We broke a bond that was never meant to be broken, and in doing so, we silently broke ourselves.


	20. Over a Smile

He sighed, causing the black haired man to lift his eyes.

"Hm?"

"Last time we're going to walk up this."

They were walking along a dirt road, weeds finding their way onto the unpaved path. Trees lined the road, but were swiftly growing to eat away part of it. A few tire marks, only a day or more old, were imprinted into the dirt. Silently, Zack rolled a rock along with his foot.

"Yeah. To bad they everyone's leaving this place. One of the few places of beauty left in the world… Now monsters will call it home."

"If they haven't already."

Cloud sighed again, shaking his head.

"Zack, I'm worried."

"Worried? This place was doomed from the start. Lets face it, relying only on mar-"

"Not the town! I'm worried about Ivy."

"Oh…" Zack bit his bottom lip. He was too, but there was no use in telling Cloud that. He was the strong one. He was the insane one. He was the smart one. Well, it was time to push aside the emotions, and be all that now. Well, perhaps not insane. Not at this moment.

"She's a tough one Cloudy, she'll manage to scare away the monsters."

"Its not the monsters!" Zack knew this. He wasn't stupid. Ivy's best friend, and the best friend to the two young men as well, had committed suicide no more then a week ago. Cloud was afraid Ivy would follow.

"Aye, its not like Ivy to give up. Shit, she's never given up a thing in her life. She wouldn't let her mother bring her down, she wouldn't let men. She wouldn't let people shatter her. This is no different Cloudy, so… So don't dwell in the past. Perk up. She'll be fine."

Cloud looked over at his black haired friend, smiling a little. "You think?"

"Think? I know." Zack gave him his trademark grin. "Now don't look so glum. Things are going to be okay. For her and us. So, do me a favor and grin. Reeeaaaallllyyyy big like, you know?" He closed one eye, sticking his tong out the side of his mouth, and adding a grin to that. "See?"

Cloud couldn't help but laugh. Zack chuckled a little to. "Come on now!"

"I don't think-"

"None of that!"

Zack grabbed his friend, throwing him into a headlock. Cloud Strife stumbled, surprised, and let out a stream of protest. Some of the things he said were a bit unpleasant, but they only made Zack laugh.

"No need to think, you numb skull. Grin!"

"Zack!"

"GRIN! Common!"

"No- Lemme go you big prokipine!"

"Porkipine?!" Zack touched his hair, most of which was spiked backwords, then looked down at his friend. Though Zack's own spikes were impressive, Cloud could easly poke someone's eye out with his. 

"You look like a pin cushion! Don't talk to me about spiky boy! Now cut the chatter and grin, Chocobo brains!"

"Choc- your choking me right now! Let-" Cloud shoved against his friends bare arms, not really expecting to get him anywhere, "Me-GO!"

"not in till you grin for me you doof!"

"I'll-I'll do it! Just lemme go first!"

Both men were laughing, despite how odd the situation was. Zack finally let his friend go, and the boy stumbled back. He toppled over in a deep puddle of mud, the brown splatters taking up resident on his light blue clothes. He stared wide eyed down at himself, gasping. 

"ZACK FLAME!"

Zack let out a lout woop, and began to run towards the house. Cloud let out a frustrated cry, slamming his hands down in the mud. That action did him little good, for the mud simply coated more of him.

"YOU BETTER RUN DAMMIT!"


	21. Air

We left, later that day. There were no tears, for Ivy had said her goodbyes, and refused to repeat herself. I was feeling choked up, and Cloud looked shattered.

We took Ivy's truck, piling our bags in the back, hoping dearly it didn't rain enough to soak through them. It took us a few hours to reach Junon. Two hours of utter silence. We then boarded an airship, driving our vehicles onto it. The Shinra guards claimed that the swamp was infested with giant snake like beings. It was to dangerous for us to cross it.

Needless to say, Cloud spent most of his time in the bathroom, motion sickness taking him over.

When we arrived in Midgar, it was late. Close to one in the morning, seeing how we left the town at 10 in the evening. We were to tired to move anything, so we slept on the airship.


	22. Twisted

"Zack.."

"Lay off…Five more minuets.."

"No, Zack.."

Zack wished that the little blond bug that continued to shove his shoulders would buzz off.

"Zack…Zack, you need to get up."

"Not now Cloudy…She's just about to…ohhhh…"

Cloud, in disgust, let out a horrified groan. He kicked his friend with his booted foot, glaring.

"Your so-So sick and perverted!"

"Ouch!" Zack growled, shoving off his blanket and grabbing Clouds leg. Having quite enough of the blond, he pulled hard, sending Cloud falling backwards. The blond let out a moan, after his body made a loud thud. Zack flinched. He hadn't meant to hurt him.

"That'll teach you to-"

Zack's voice died off as he watched a few men walk past the pickup, pointing at Zack and Cloud. Zack glanced at the blond, then grinned evily. They were both lying in the back of a pickup, Cloud moaning ( though in pain), Zack half dressed, and blankets thrown over their belongings. He could just guess the things going through those men's heads.

"Flame! Leave that poor child alone! I sent him to get you, and now you have got him under covers."

Zack blinked, looking at Cloud, then over his shoulder. Walking towards the pickup was a sliver haired man, dressed with a black trench coat on, his chest bare under it.

"Oh, Shut up Seph and leave me alone. You shouldn't have sent him to get me." Zack realized now why Cloud had come to collect him. Sephiroth. 

Sephiroth, greatest of SOLDIER. Clouds "idle" of sorts, as was natural for boys. Zack liked him well enough, but he didn't have fantasies involving besting Sephiroth. The two men had been on a few missions together, gaining a sort of "friendship".

The tall SOLDIER leaned on the back of the truck, looking down at Cloud. "Strife, get up. Get Flame up to. If you cant managed to at least move the man your guarding, why be a guard yourself?"

Cloud swallowed, nodding to the green eyed man, and struggled to his feet. He quickly went over to Zack, who had again pulled the covers over his black spiked head. Cloud glared, sick of Zack by now. "Get up you blob."

He pulled the sheet off from Zack's head. Zack moaned, and glared. "What don't you comprehend about 5 more minutes?!"

"How about- "We leave in 10"". Sephiroth said, watching Zack's face turn to his own.

"Wh-what?"

"We leave in 10 minutes, you and I. We need to go meet Rick of instructions. Strife stays. You have 5 minutes to get up and get dressed, or I replace you."

Zack was up and running before Sephiroth even finished.


	23. Sephiroth

Sephiroth. Great General of the Wutai war. Probably the only reason that Midgar _won_ the war. Without his brilliance, where would we be? Where would you be? I don't think you would even exist.

Sephiroth and I had gone on missions together before. We'd help fight millions(well, it seemed like millions) of monsters to save a town. We' helped Hojo capture experiments. We'd done it all. Neither of us truly cared to deep for one of the other, but we were chums. War buddies, really.


	24. Threats

Cloud sat on the back of the pickup, having been given an hour or so off. The little boy had spent a portion of his day waiting for Zack's return, and re-arranging things on the airship. Mopping the floors and whipping windows. Zack hadn't returned in over two hours time, and the boy had gotten sick of mopping floors.

So, he had gone out on a short patrol job. The city was to dull for him, and he had much rather be mopping.

But, he was stuck on his new found entertainment in till Zack came for him. He'd just have to enjoy the sandwich he had for lunch, and wait.

His feet kicked back and forth as he munched contently on his ham and cheese, looking from under his uniform cap at the people walking about them. Someone had mentioned to him not to bother getting his stuff ready for movement, for the airship would be boarded later that day. Sadly, everyone failed to mention why. When he sought out an answer to that question, every pretended not to know.

"Tell me Seph!"

"Later. We need to get things- Galleon! You hit him with that mop one more time and I'll stick-"

Cloud finished, hearing where the General would stick where. To say the least, it would be very painful for Galleon, and the man quit his activity to go mop floors somewhere else.

Clouds eyes followed the steps of Zack and Sephiroth, silently wondering what Zack was pestering the man about. Sephiroth didn't seem to want to discuss whatever it was. Cloud guessed he should keep silent as well.

"Hey kid!" Zack pushed himself onto the side of the truck, sitting next to Cloud. The blond offered the SOLDIER a half of his sandwich in silence, eyes on Sephiroth. As usual, Zack took it and huffed it down.

"I am guessing Strife must accompany you, correct?"

"You know it."

"Don't talk with your mouth full, Flame. You give people the idea you're an idiot. More so of an idiot then they can already assume. If that is possible."

"Hey!"

"Close your mouth."

Sephiroth showed little feeling when he spoke to Zack, but his voice was demanding, and Zack quickly obeyed. Cloud guessed he didn't want masamune shoved up somewhere unpleasant.

With a big gulp, Zack finished his sandwich and took what little Cloud had left from the boy. That to was finished quickly. Clouds eyes finally broke from following Sephiroth, as the General disciplined immature little Galleon, to look at his hands. His eyes widened, and he quickly whipped his head around to glare at Zack. 

"HEY!"

Zack's cheeks were bulging with the sandwich, having been trying to conceal its whereabouts. "Wa?"

"That was mine!" Cloud stated, hands shaking.

"Oh. Yu wan it?"

"UGH! GROSS!"

"FLAME! Dammit! You'd better be mopping up that mess, or do you an Galleon BOTH wish for this ting to go-"


	25. Galleon

Luckily Sephiroth didn't get at me. I did have to mop up the spewed sandwich though. That wasn't so bad. Cloudy helped. Sweet kid. Pain in the ass sometimes, but sweet.

I wonder what happened to Galleon…

Come to think of it…I heard muffled screams all that evening…And Seph was washing that sword of his at breakfast…

Erm…


	26. Shinra Lies

"Flame, your late."

Zack slipped into the seat opposite Sephiroth, who sat at the head of the table. The black haired man stretched, yawning boldly, and swung his arms.

"Sorry. I hadn't expected to sleep so late. What's for breakfast?"

The general looked over his newspaper at the man. "It happens to be lunch, Zack, and we are eating sandwiches. As usual, Shinra supplied us with little for the cross seas trip, and dumped us with cash for the ground trip. Typical."

Zack nodded, reaching for the coffee pot, which had been set in the middle of the table.

"Seen Cloud?" The man asked, pouring himself a cup of the liquid. Sephiroth observed Zack with distaste, and continued his reading. 

"I am afraid the boy has taken up residence inside of the bellow deck bathroom. I have cut him from his duties."

"Taken pity on him, you mean." Zack said, before tipping the glass backwards.

"Perhaps. Have you had the pleasure of reading the paper this morning?"

Zack glared at Sephiroth from over his cup. Swallowing, he shook his head. "Nope. You pick that up before we leave?" The general nodded.

"Take a look." Sephiroth carefully peeled away a page of the paper, sliding it across the cotton table cloth. Zack glanced at the older man, then lifted the page into his view.

__

General Sephiroth, hero of the Wutai war, and SOLDIER Zack Flame have come to the call of the Mako Reactor in Nibelheim. Accompanying them is a group of Shinra Guards. It has been rumored for some time that the reactor has become host to a number of creatures, or that these creatures have crawled from the reactors core. 

The people of Nibelheim have been forbidden to visit the reactor, and have been locked up tightly inside their homes for some time now. When asked to comment on the coming of Sephiroth, and the situation, a Mr. Lockheart said, "We have been wishing for help for some time. The sooner Shinra gets in, and gets out, the sooner we can go back to living our lives normally."

Though there have been a few guards posed through the village at random times, their attempts to keep the monsters at bay have failed. They cannot predict when the monsters shall strike, and have given weapons to any who can wield them in the village.

Sephiroth, on the visit to Nibelheim, commented that "We are pleased to finally be sent to the aid of Nibelheim. I wish that we could have done something more sooner."

Continued on page A2

Zack looked at the silver haired man, frowning. "This is bazaar. I thought Shinra was keeping our coming as low key as possible_. _I don't get it."

"Neither do I."

"Why didn't they interview me?" Zack frowned, handing the page back to the general. The man looked at Zack, setting down his paper.

"Flame, they didn't interview me either. That's full of lies. They never sent guards to that village. I have been watching this place for some time."

Zack's eyes widened in shock. He opened his mouth to voice his opinion, when the door swung slowly open. Sephiroth turned his head to look at the doorway. There stood a very pale, very shaky, looking Cloud Strife. 

"You alright Cloud?" Zack asked, watching the boy slip into a seat. The boy shook his head. 

"I-I'll live. Wh-when are we going to get there?"

"Another day or two yet." Sephiroth said, standing and stretching. "Flame'll find you some pills you can take, in the first aid room. You'll be alright."

With that, the general left the two young men there. Zack looked at Cloud, who's eyes were struggling to stay open. Standing as well, Zack went to follow Sephiroth out. Resting a hand on Clouds shoulder momentarily, the man then went to find a nurse.


	27. Costa Del Sol

It was an…odd thing, really. We arrived in Costa Del Sol, and it rained. Rained long and hard. We were only staying there for two days. I didn't want all the hotties to be lost inside a musty bar. The general wouldn't let me _near_ a bar. Took all my fun. And I was so looking forward to the beach…

****

Authors Note: _Yay. Got myself back into writing. Just…lost inspiration. Sorry for not getting onto this. Really, I am. I actually started the next cheaper some time ago. You may be able to see a change in my writing, where I sort of…forced myself through it. Sorry._


	28. Rain

"Rain. Rain, rain, fuckin rain." Zack sighed, walking over to one of the beds. He plunked himself down next to his best friend, falling back with a thud.

"This is Costa Del Sol, capital of sunshine and women in bikinis. Not the town of dismal, shattered fantasies and rain!"

"You just wanted to go to the beach and pick up women." Zack opened up a green eye, looking over at the plush chair which the general sat in.

"Well Duh." Zack said, shaking his head as if nothing else mattered. "Why else did you think I'd wanted to come here? The scenery?"

"You're a simple man, Zack. A few pretty women and a bottle of something to get them drunk and you're all set."

"Of course Seph. Wouldn't you be?"

"I prefer the finer things in life." As he said this, the general turned the pages of his novel. "The decent things. I could easily slip into a life with someone who cares about me, and honestly not care of her appearance or her intentions. Much the opposite of you."

"Hey!" Zack sat up quickly, fists clenched, face on fire. "that's not true! You make me sound shallow!"

"Surprised you caught on."

Zack looked over at the blond sitting next to him, who was grinning and giggling to himself. As Zack opened his mouth to say something to the boy, the general cut him off.

"Cloud, You happened to live with this…I have no words for him. You lived with him for a great many years. You have seen him at his best and worst. Is my assumption correct?"

Zack still glared at the little blond. Cloud grinned, pulling his eyes from Zack's to watch his fingers playing with the zipper on his jacket. "Yup."

"Jerk!" Zack grabbed the blond about the neck, throwing him into a headlock. "Pain in the ass. Thanks so much for sticking up for me!"

"U-ugh. Your welcome Zack. Really, this affection isn't necessary." Cloud was helplessly pushing at Zack's arms. The man merely tightened the grip on Cloud. "Le-let go now."

"Flame." Zack's spiky head jerked around to look at a very annoyed Sephiroth, who was setting down his novel. His eyes looked purely un amused as he watched the two. "Let the boy go."

"Sure. Sure." Zack stood, pulling the blond with him. "Just after his head meets the toilet."

Lightning cracked outside, and the sky lit up purple and blue. At that moment, the lights took their turn to flicker and die. Zack let out a loud yelp, something banging into his knee as he walked. Quickly he lost his balance as he stumbled, tripping over the blond he had been dragging. The two fell with a loud thud, older boy on top.

From under Zack's body came a loud groan. "Get…off…"

"My head…"

"Flame, you idiot, get off the boy and go find a flashlight."

"Ow….OW! Stop kickin me Seph! I'm going!"

With a heave Zack rolled himself off from the blond, he gasped in pain and curled over. Somewhere in the other part of the inn, the few men playing pool had stopped. The sounds of their feet and curses as they slammed things in the dark were muffled, but there. Suddenly a voice broke the darkness.

"Aye! General!"

Just as his title was called, the flashlight in his hand spread a pale beam across the floor. Having a path now lit for him, Zack scrambled quickly to his bag under the bed, soon with a flashlight for both him and Cloud.

"Yes?" The general called.

"Lights are on next door. Think something hit the building. Maybe a short circuit."

Zack frowned. "Maybe the wires are fried… Hey, where's the owner to this place?"

"Sleeping out back. Flame, what are you doing?"

Within moments the owner had been awoken and drug out into the main room (if not by choice then by Zack's "persuasion"). A panel on the wall, one no one had noticed before, was quickly being unscrewed. 

"Knew I should have gotten them damn lights fixed before now. Its been like this for years, men. Sorry for the inconvenience. Haven't the know how to fix it, and to tight on Gil to hire someone."

"Great." Sephiroth shone the flashlight bean towards the wires. They looked like just a jumble to him, for he knew nothing of electricians work. Wrinkling his nose, he turned and shone the light on his men. "Any of you know how to manage this?"

"Oh!" Zack hopped up from the bed, but Cloud pulled him back down. 

"No." the blond said sternly. Zack turned to him, eyes wide.

"I'm good at this stuff Cloudy!" Zack protested, standing again. He turned to the men, who it seemed had all moved their eyes on the two. Every one was giving him a skeptical look. "What?!"

"…Gore, call an electrician. Use the phone next-"

"No! I can do it. Free!" Zack said, quickly running over to the general. Sephiroth shook his head. 

"Flame, I don't trust you with a weapon. Do you think I would trust you with electricity?"

Zack nodded. "Yup."

Rubbing his hands together like an excited child, Zack pushed past the Shinra guards, the inns owner, and the General. Blinking in confusion, then with a shrug of his shoulders, Zack reached into the mess of wires.

Time went by, a slow, dry, slug slinking along. The men had given upon helping Zack, for it never did any good. They were hanging flashlights above the pool table, and had already begun their game. Cloud had managed to set up his flashlight over the bed so he could read. The general sat in his chair again, flashlight pointed where Zack directed, one eye reading.

"Ugh! Dammit! _that's _what that wire was for. Alright, okay." Cloud and Sephiroth both looked up from their novels. Sephiroth glanced over at the blond, then to the black haired man. 

"…that didn't sound to good Flame."

"No, no, don't worry. I know what I'm doing. Seph, can you do me-" He had again reached his hands into the box, pulling a long wire from it with some difficulty, "a favor?"

Sephiroth stood, setting down his novel. "Like what?"

"Hold this." Zack handed the General the long blue wire. Sephiroth frowned, but said nothing more. 

Reaching down, Zack plucked up a pair of worn pliers. Sticking his tong out of the corner of his mouth, he reached into the box and began to twist and snap wires back together. Sephiroth watched the man with a frown.

After a moment, Zack took a step back and nodded, befor scurrying away.

"Flame?" The genral called, looking down at the wire. 

"Just a moment!" Zack called from somewhere in the back. Suddenly the lights flashed on. Cloud started to grin, but the grin soon lost its power when a loud yelp was heard over the men's "hurah's!". 

"What happened?!" The spiky, black haired Zack skidded back into the main part of the building, stolking feet carrying him across the floor. He stopped dead, seeing Sephiroth.

The silver haired man was glaring bitterly, having dropped the wire in his sudden upward flight. His hair was standing slightly on end, giving him a fuzzy rabbit look. His eyes blazed, sparkling with rage. His hand had gone to the sword at his side.


	29. Downfall

****

Note: Yup. Sort of spoiled the story by putting this note in it. But this one is well needed. You people reading have no clue how much this chapter relied upon the help of **Riene-Strife** so do me a favor: Please, please, please go read his stories. They are wonderful and if you like or don't like mine, you'll love his. Thanks.

-

"Ouch! Dammit Seph! I didn't _mean_ to do it! Aye!"

Zack leapt back just in time, narrowly avoiding the tip of Sephiroth's masumane as the sword swung hatefully at his chest. The black haired man fell backwards into the tiled street with a thud. Rain water poured down in buckets, causing the purple SOLDIER uniform to plaster itself to his skin.

"Ouch. Dammit Seph! Come on man! Yikes!" He rolled to his left as steel swung down at him, eyes wide.

"S-Sephiroth!" Cloud shirked in fear. The General stopped and turned to glare at Cloud from over his shoulder.

"Keep your spiked head out of this, Strife." He snapped venomously. Clouds eyes widened in fear and his moth clamped shut. The few guards left near the boy snatched him up and dragged him to a different part of the building.

The general Sephiroth looked back at Zack. "What did I tell you Flame?!"

"I didn't mean to do it Seph! It was an accident man! Were buds! I wouldn't do that to ya! Oh put the sword down man…"

Sephiroth spun his wrist sending the huge sword down towards the stuttering boy, and Zack just managed to rolled again as it came down, with a hairsbreadth of spare space. Breathing heavy, the man forced himself to his feet, running as quickly as he could as far as he could. Not bothering to look over his shoulder, he went for the first place possible to escape.

Cloud struggled against his captors. "He's going to kill him!"

"Aye, kid! Flames going to become a shishcobob on his own! We cant lose to many men here!"

Cloud flung himself forward, but was quickly flung back.

"Come _on_aren't you going to do something?!" the boy cried.

"Yeah, We'll do something," one of the men in blue said, setting down his pool stick and marching over to where Cloud was flinging himself in an attempt to break free. Cloud stopped momentarily to watch the man, before pulling himself against the men's hands again.

"this." The man grabbed Cloud by the collar of his shirt, and flung him back into the bathroom.

The boy let out a gasp as he was slammed into the tub, feeling a sharp pain in his back. Losing his balance, Cloud fell back heavily into the tub. His head bashed itself off from the wall. The room spun and lost focus quickly. Pain seared that part of his body for a moment. He heard the door slammed shut, and he heard a chair scrape across the floor.

"…great…"

Rubbing the sore place on his back, he pushed himself all the way into the tub, hugging his knees as he looked around.

'The generals going to kill him…But he didn't mean to do that… Zack's probably as blond as my hair. Little common sense when it comes to showing off. He doesn't know when to sto-..op…'

His eyes had been roaming the bathroom, but suddenly stopped their search for nothing when they came to a window. It was small, hardly large enough for his head to fit through, and to high up for his 5 feet or more of height to get to.

He shoved himself up and climbed out of the tub, looking for a box.

"Gah!" Zack cried in annoyance, leaning back to avoid the cross slash of masamune as it sliced trough an umbrella that lay between them. Ocean water crashed onto the beach shore, drenching Zack up to his knees. He took this moment, as he stumbled back, to draw the Buster sword. He had had little time to snatch it up from the ground before he ran to the beach, but he had managed it.

His hands gripped the hilt instinctively well and his blade was at ready just in time to meet the blow Sephiroth sent at him.

Not ready for it, Zack stumbled backwards, falling to the ground. A wave crashed upon the shore, sending green slime and sea life to cover him. Snatching up the fallen blade, he dodged a downward blow, rolling to safety.

Pushing himself up to his feet Zack raised his blade in an attempt to uppercut Sephiroth. Of course he knew this would never hit the General, but it would postpone his attacks. And for that he was thankful. Zack, now preparing to face Sephiroth finding that running was useless, broadened his stance and raised his sword.

"Hm. You have some sense after all Flame!" the general mocked in his monotone voice. Sephiroth stopped walking and took a stance side on to Zack with his left side closest to his opponent. His arms where up in front of his body slightly crossed ,left hand gripping the hilt facing inward right hand outward, the huge blade running parallel to his body and out towards Zack.

Zack Gulped.  
  
Every time he saw Sephiroth take stance, people tend to drop, or monsters meet their fate. Fear welling up in Zack, he tried one last plea.

"c-come don't be like that….I didn't mean it Seph, you know that….don't you." His muttering did him no good. Sephiroth took a step forward and stabbed straightforward arms out stretched fully, though the blow never landed. That was through no skill of Zack's, just because he jumped back out of the way at the sight of Sephiroth move.

Sephiroth knowing this left him vulnerable, immediately returned his sword back to the ready position. As he did Zack, over coming his fear, ran straight towards Sephiroth hoping to surprise him. After a few steps he launched himself up in the air, pulling the Buster Sword behind his head. This did indeed catch Sephiroth of guard. But he was no legend for nothing.

As Zack brought the Buster Sword down with all his strength, and weight as well, Sephiroth pivoted to the side with un-natural speed. Zack's Braver technique accomplished nothing more than lodging his sword deep in the sand.

Sephiroth brought his sword down upon Zack, who flung his arms off his sword and leaned back to avoid loosing them completely. Masamune slashed the sand but did not stick. Zack kicked the blade away from his body in an attempt to distance himself from death.

Sephiroth spun with the sword and kicked Zack in the side sending him on to his back.

Cloud hopped up and down, trying to see what was going on outside. The few times he managed to get his eyes to the window, he had merely seen a flash of silver. Hair or sword he didn't know.

Cursing under his breath Cloud's eyes again darted about the room. "Box, box, box. Where's a box?" He asked himself, feeling rage at his fellow guards. The jerks. They wouldn't help Zack, but to lock him up so he couldn't try was just as bad.

'No box. What kind of bathroom is this…Trash can, has to be a trash can!' Nothing. 'Okay…Okay…Think Strife. Think…'

His eyes darted about madly, but suddenly fell upon a small cupboard. Sturdy, made out of what appeared to be oak. It would hold his weight. He knew it would.

He raced over to the item, quickly grabbing it and pulling it from its place against the wall. It moved with a loud creek, bottles rolling and thrashing about inside it. Toilet paper burst open the doors as they fell from their once neat piles. Towels slipped from their folded positions, pill bottles and different decorative glasses shattered. He ignored it, running to the other side of the cabinet and shoving it over.

It was a perfect fit, leaving just a few inches of space from the top of the cabinet and the window itself. 'Now to get on top of it…' He swore as he realized he still needed the box.

"Why…Why is it every time I try to help him I cant!" He cried, shaking his head and turning back to the door. His eyes caught his reflection in the mirror to his right. Sighing, he turned to it and stared. "Weak little Cloud. Not good enough to be in SOLDIER, not good enough to fight," He placed his hand on the hilt of Ivy's blade, which he carried everywhere with him now. He had to remember to go back somehow.

"Tiny little Cloud. Not good enough to play with Tifa. Not good enough to be her friend. Never good enough to be Zack's little brother. Never…" He stopped his pity trip suddenly, looking down at the sink counter. Eyes widened he smacked his forehead, climbing up onto it.

"Stupid, stupid Strife." He hissed, smiling just a little. Finding his box, he placed his feet on the small, white tiled countertop. With a leap, his spikes grazing the ceiling, he flung himself at the top of the cupboard. His hands grasped its top, and he scrambled to pull himself up it.

The wooden storage unit teetered, and began a forward plunge. Clouds hands had snapped open the lock and shoved the window open just as he began to feel himself fall back. With a gasped, he threw himself forward once again, gripping tightly to the windowsill. Throwing himself through it, he heard the cabinet crash, pieces shatter.

He wriggled himself through the window, his arms scraping on the sharp metal edges. Getting his hands and head and a good part of his upper body free, he placed his gloved hands on the side of the building, shoving back with all his might. Soon the rest of him pulled free of the cramped window, and he was toppling towards the ground.

He hit the ground rather painlessly, and sat up in time to see Sephiroth tower over his friend. "Never good enough to be his little brother…I'll fix that." It seemed his rage at his ex-captured and his love of Zack overrode his fear. He stood up drawing Ivy's sword and running his gloved hand down the blade.

"If I am going to take on the general, I'm glad it's your sword I use, Ivy." The boys hands shook as they gripped the hilt.

Sephiroth appeared to be saying something to Zack. Cloud gritted his teeth and ran for the two men. He was in range to hear what they where saying now.

"Flame, you have done it this time…I think you deserve this punishment. If you live someday you may thank me for it." The general uttered. He lifted the masamune above his head, and smiled. Clouds heart leapt…he quickened his pace and saw the masamune fall towards his friend.

He launched Ivy's Kitana straight out over Zack's body and under the generals sword. Rooting his feet firmly in the ground in time to brace for the impact. The masamune met the kitana with incredible force. The blade almost came out Clouds hands, but by sheer will power he kept the blow from his friend.

Sephiroth turned his head to Cloud.

His eyes were glowing brightly and he had a look or shock on his face. Zack took this chance to roll back wards from under the swords and run as fast as he could towards the nearest hiding place…a short wall.

Cloud could feel the fear rushing threw him. Zack was out of danger so him motivation upped it and left, just as quick as Zack.

"Strife! I told you to stay out of this! That is the first time, and the last, you will ever interfere or stop me again." The general seemed to grow in size just through the aggression in his voice.

Cloud scared out of his wits, replied.

"I…If you try to h…harm Zack again, I will interfere. again…I promise." Scared for himself he was stuttering. But in hid defense of Zack he remained steady. The Generals temper flared and he brought the masamune up and then thundering back down with lightening speed, the blow shatter Ivy's sword and left the pieces on the floor.

"Give up Strife! He deserves it and you are weaponless." Sephiroth mused.

Cloud looked around frantic; again his eyes darted for a solution. His eyes after time fell on the buster sword. Cloud faked a dash to the left sending Sephiroth of guard and rolled to the right, grasping the hilt of the buster sword as he stood up, he yanked it hard and brought it in front of his body in defense.

"Ha Boy. You have left me closer to Zack than you are, some body guard." Sephiroth laughed playfully.

The water splashed around their feet as they stood. Filled with a sudden pride and smugness Cloud spoke.

"But General, you can't reach Zack with out turning your back on me. And that would not be good strategy…sir!" He emphasized the sir with a smile.

Sephiroth suddenly stopped. In realizing his mistake. That little boy had actually tricked him. Zack looked on from the safety of his wall, no idea what was happening.

"You aren't going to back down are you Strife, and to get to him I would have to go through you…and I can't afford to lose to men. Infernal little boy. You had better be careful" With that Sephiroth walked to the side and up the beach towards his room.

Cloud slumped down to the ground, tired, scared, and a nervous wreck With Zack running to his side.


	30. Shattered

"W-what the hell did you do that for?"

Buckets still poured down upon them, ice froze his body as waves crashed to the shore. He trembled under his clothes, which had become plastered to his thin body.

Both Zack and Cloud knew he shook not because of the cold, but because of fear.

"Why did I do that…" Cloud asked, his voice hollow. He put his head in his hands, shaking his head. "He could have killed me…"

The little blond peeked from behind his fingers, feeling Zack place a warm hand on his shoulder. His eyes didn't go to meet Zack's, but they roamed the shore of the beach. Parts of Ivy's blade were being pulled away, into the ocean. Suddenly he lunged forward, grabbing them up as water rushed around them.

"Help me." Cloud whispered, shoving the slices of the weapon into his pocket. His hands darted about, collecting ever piece he could. Zack, as if he was reluctant to even try, fell to his knees next to the blond, silently picking up the shards.

"…She's going to be so mad at me. She's going to skin me…Oh man…"

"Cloud…"

"What am I going to do Zack?!" The boy asked.

Zack could tell his friend wasn't going to focus on the battle Zack longed to talk to him about. It would have been good for Cloud to talk about it, to release the growing fear inside. The after shock would hit him, if it wasn't starting to now. It was going to crumble him.

"Cloud, there isn't going to be any saving this blade. Its done with."

"no- no its not. There's still a good portion in tack. We can have it re-forged. We have to. I want to return it to her. I need to return it to her."

He managed to pull a drenched glove from his pocket, pulling it on with some difficulty. Silently he picked up some more shards, throwing them back onto the beach, far enough away from the waves.

"I don't think we'll be able to fix it Cloud."

"we have to. We have to try Zack."

'But why…We wont see her again…Seph…Something's wrong with Sephiroth. Something weird is happening…"

Cloud let out a frustrated cry suddenly, falling down onto the sand. Tears mingled with raindrops. Water rushed over his body. Zack's eyes widened in shock, and he quickly got to his feet, grabbing his friends hands and dragging him up the shore.

"What's the matter with you?! Your going suicidal tonight! People say the rain does odd things here, but to turn you into a suicidal mad man is ridicules!"

"I-I'm sorry Zack…"

Zack flinched and shook his head. "Cloud-"

"sorry…Sorry I didn't get here any sooner…Sorry I'm so worthless. Cant even protect you right. Broke a sword…I couldn't fight him if he decided to get through me. You would have been defenseless. Sorry."

"Dammit Cloud!"

Zack Reached down and grabbed the boys collar, yanking him roughly to his feet. He reluctantly stood, head hung, sobbing.

He looked so helpless. Wet, tiny, cold, afraid. Zack felt his heart tug. He never could stand the sight of Cloud being sad.

"you're an idiot.' Zack said with a sideways smile, smothering his friend in an embrace. "Your such a fuckin loon Cloud Strife."

Cloud gripped his friends shirt with trembling hands.

"D-don't…don't ever…don't ever let me do that again." He whispered, sobbing growing louder. Zack chuckled, ruffling the sopping locks of blond hair.

"don't like saving my ass kid?"

"I don't want to die-die…"

"I wouldn't let him kill you."

"Y-yes you would. You - you disappeared over the wall f-faster then food in front of Ivy."

Zack laughed. "That fast aye? Ah Cloud, if he was going to kill you, I'd step in. You're my little brother. No one hurts you and gets away from me in one piece. You know that."

"Z-Zack...Zack, don't get in-into anymore trouble…"

"Okay Cloud," Zack smiled, steering him towards one of the remaining umbrellas, bending down to retrieve the hilt and a good portion of Ivy's now shattered blade. Handing it to Cloud, he retrieved his own Buster Sword. "For you."


	31. Debt

Stupid twit that he was, he probably saved my life then and there. I don't think I ever got to repay him for that kindness. In the end, what I did…

No, no. That's getting ahead of the story. You'll…You will have to be the judge of my actions. You will have to decide if I paid back the dept.


	32. Monsters?

****

Note: From here out the stories going to be…a bit…off. I am begging you not to compare it to the game. I cant remember every single flipping line in that game (just a great portion;) ), and I only managed three play through before the game died and suddenly disappeared. I am trying to find a game script somewhere online (that have all of Zack's parts, but so far I am not having any luck). So, I am sort of improvising the lines of people. So very sorry.

'One, two, three'

"Would you settle down?"

"Cant. To. Ex. Cited."

Zack was dressed in the usual deep violet SOLDIER uniform, rising up and down from a squatting position, swinging his arms as he did this. The general glared bitterly at the man, leaning heavily on the side of the truck. On the opposite side of the vehicle was a little, moaning, blond blob( looking slightly green under the hair and the uniform).

"Would you cut it out." Sephiroth hissed, green eyes on fire as he glared over at Zack. Never replying, Zack stopped and walked quickly to the back of the truck. He swatted aside some pale blue curtains.

"It's sure raining hard…"He sighed and shook his head, wishing it would stop. It has ruined Costa Del Sol for him, and apparently it was trying to spoil the trip too. He wouldn't let the buckets of tears being tossed to the Planet murder off his good mood. Not today.

Pivoting he noticed the moaning Cloud and shook his head as he bent over to clutch his stomach.

"Hey," He asked, walking over to his smaller friend. "how are you doing?"

Cloud Strife sat up a little, nodded sickly, and bent back over.

"I-I'm alright…"

Zack placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to be sympathetic.

"I wouldn't know... I've never had motion sickness." He hopped his friend would be okay, as he claimed he was.

It was no use trying to help him, Cloud would deal with it on his own. Zack didn't know how to help him anyways. A bright smile again painted itself on his face and he spun around.

"Everything okay?" He called, banging a fist on the glass window that separated the font seats of the truck from the "trunk" area that the rest of them were in. The man in blue up front scolded at him, but nodded.

"Hey, settle down." Sephiroth commanded, shaking his head. Zack turned, grinning.

"They gave me some new Materia. I can't wait to use it."

He started in on his squats again, grinning like a mad man. The evening before they had found some supplies tucked away in the ship they took to Costa Del Sol. One supply package had continued a small box labeled for Zack. Materia. He had not used to much Materia before. Ivy didn't like the stuff, and wouldn't listen to his whining about wanting it. Now he had it, and was thrilled beyond sanity.

"…Just like a kid."

Zack stopped his squats, and brought his mind back to earth. Glaring at Sephiroth he took a deep breath and tried to calm down.

"Gana give us a mission briefing?"

"...this isn't a typical mission"

"Good." Zack grinned and turned back to Cloud. He had not gone with Sephiroth to get the info on the mission, and knew that they were just going to Nibelheim, a little town that little Cloud had come from. Something about monsters attacking. He hoped for a ton of slaughter. That would make his day. He'd go back with Cloud and show Ivy that they could fight, and mount all the beasts heads on the walls as proof.

Sephiroth turned his silver haired head to Zack, smirking. "Why do you say that?"

"I joined SOLDIER so I could prove to my family I could make a difference. But by the time I made First class, the war was already over. My big hopes of becoming a hero ended with the war. That's why I always sign up whenever there's a big mission. Kind of a way to prove myself. Say, how do you feel, MISTER Sephiroth?"

He flashed a grin, eyes sparkling. They never got to much out of Sephiroth, and it was a shame. He liked hearing the man talk, and would rather hear more talk then see a fight. They usually ended with Zack or Cloud in pain, just the like last one.

Sephiroth could see that he was looking for a chat, and turned away from him. "...I thought you wanted a briefing? Our mission is to investigate an old Mako reactor. There have been reports of it malfunctioning, and producing brutal creatures. Then, we'll locate the problem and neutralize it."

"Brutal creatures…?"

Sephioth's head turned to look at the green boy holding his stomach.

"Yes."

"Where?"

"Where else Strife? The Mako Reactor at Nibelheim."

"Nibelheim... That's where I'm from…" Sephiroth didn't hear this last bit, but Zack did. He closed his eyes.

'I hope nothing to horrid has happened…For your sake, Cloud.'

Suddenly the truck shook, teetering on two wheeled before crashing back down on all four.

"What the hell?" Sephiroth asked, standing. Zack had slammed down into Cloud, and was muttering his apologizes to the boy.

"Sir ...s, something strange just crashed into our truck!" The man upfront yelled. He spun around in his seat, eyes wide in fear.

"That would be our Monster…"


	33. Dragon

Sephiroth raced to the other end of the truck, throwing open the doors and disappearing. "Flame! Get out here!"

Zack glanced at Cloud. The little blond looked frightened. Giving him the best smile he could force out, the black haired man picked up his fallen sword and dashed to the door.

Zack's eyes widened at the sigh of it. Towering above them, at least a story above them, was a giant creature. Crimson danced on its skin. Its large, leather wings were a good 10 feet in each direction. Its eyes small and filled with hate and rage. It was hungry. It was easy to tell. Its eyes looked mad and starved, though it was possible its last meal had been no longer then a couple hours ago. Dried blood was coated to the underside of its chin.

He leapt from the truck, running across the muddy ground to what would become their battle field. They were so close to their destination, and he was so close to what may become fame. He didn't want to die at the hand of a dragon.

It seemed the earth didn't want him to kill the ruby skinned beast though. The rain had washed away the earth enough so roots and long buried rocks sprang up to throw him down. He stumbled once or twice as he ran to the generals aid, his blade at his side.

The already dark sky was growing darker, and the sound of lighting shot through the air. Silver streaks soon followed the explosion. The monster screamed in fury, and crimson life danced on the ground. Sephiroth had delivered the first blow. Zack watched as the man leapt from the way of a downward falling claw. Sephiroth was quick, much quicker then Zack when the need to be appeared. The man spun out of the way and brought his masumane down. The dragon was already pulling away when the blade sunk into its flesh. It let out a cry, but the gash wasn't deep.

"Flame, take the tail!" The generals voice shot out, cold and clear. Zack nodded and dashed around the creature. The large reptile brought a claw down, swiping at Zack. He managed to dodge roll out of the way, gaining a small cut and a chunk of his clothes taken out at the shoulder. It was better then his head.

"Where's Strife?!" The general shouted, and as he did the monsters loud screeching soon followed. Zack ignored both and concentrated on the red whip dancing above his head. He didn't want Cloud out in this mess.

He jumped to his right as the dagger tip slammed down at him. He leapt as it swung left and right. To early. On his downward fall he landed on the rapidly swinging snake. Feeling the impact the beast drew its tail away, trying to toss Zack off it, or crush him under it.

He fell to the ground with a loud thud, mud coating his body and face. The Buster Sword landed next to him, point driven into the soft earth. He watched as the tail's shadow came over him, and felt it flying towards him.

It never hit, for the monster suddenly let out another scream. Quickly he scrambled to his feet, thankful Sephiroth was a legend for a reason. Lifting the blade from the muddy sheath, Zack spun around. The snake like tail swatted the air above his head. If he leapt, he may be have been able to slice at it. He shook his head. It was best to keep both feet on the ground.

Everything about him seem to darken suddenly. A light blue light filled the air about the dragon. The monster ignored it, or didn't notice. Suddenly sparks of lightning began to fly out madly. The beast shook from the materia's spell before its cry grew louder and sharper. The lightning collected itself and slammed downward into the back of the monster. It fell to the ground with a loud, sickening thud. Zack watched as the tail fell a few yards from him.

It wasn't dead. Just injured. Taking the opportunity, Zack raced over to the twitching tail and slammed the Buster Sword down into the dragons flesh. The monster let out a moan, lifting its tail in an attempt to swipe at Zack. Its moan turned to a loud cry, and from the corner of his eyes he could see Sephiroth creating an interesting pattern of deep cuts across the dragons side.

Zack brought his weapon down again, and again, and again. He felt sorry suddenly, as he saw the deep marks he was making. He'd surly kill it now, with Sephiroth's help. If they didn't kill it now, it would bleed to death later.

The monster had had enough by now. It brought up its claw and swiped at Sephiroth again. The man managed to jump up onto it and run up along its arm. The monster shook its limb, trying to shake Sephiroth. It did not good, the man was already at the shoulder of the Ruby Dragon. He ran to the neck and shoved his blade downward.

****

Note: Congrats. You just completed 3/4th of the fan fiction "Us", and so have I. **Riene-Strife** was a big help on this chapter( more then you know, actually, and I hope I did it right.-.-;; ), so do me a favor and go read the stuff by him.


	34. Tifa

'Its all the same…look at it…The arch way, the truck, the well, the houses. Nothing has changed in 5 years.' He shook his head, disappointed. Nibelheim. His home. Nothing had so much as stirred.

Water ran through the tiles in the square, from the buckets of rain being tossed down the Planet. In a few places the tiles has come out and washed away. They would replace them in a few days, once things dried out.

From somewhere behind him Zack laughed, walking up. He was so proud he had helped stop the Ruby Dragon days before, and was sure to be even cockier when they left this place. Fame. Only thing on Zack's mind was fame. It made Cloud angry. He could see his black spiked head from the coroner of his eyes. He ignored him and continued to look at the town. A young girl no older then he sat near a white wooden fence, brown leather hat pulled down over her eyes. He frowned. He didn't remember her. She didn't live here when he did…had she?

Suddenly his eyes widened as he noticed the hair of the girl. The small hands and the bracelets she wore. He started to gasp, but caught himself. He didn't want her attention. Quickly he turned and ran from the group.

'Its Tifa!'. He felt his face catch on fire. His emotions melted his senses from their sudden flare. His chest felt tight, his breath quick. He didn't want her to see him like this. He had left to join SOLDIER. He hadn't made it. She'd hate him. She'd be disappointed. He couldn't keep their promise now. He couldn't save her like she had wanted. He couldn't…

He couldn't let her see him.

"Hey, you alright?" A voice called. Zack. Cloud nodded his head and quickly pulled on his guard hat, which he had stored in his pocket until now.

"F-fine…" He whispered, pulling it on over his blond hair. With a tug, he sent the visor down over his eyes, casting a shadow over his face.

"Back in line, Strife." the cold voice of the General hissed at him as the silver haired man approached. Clouds head shot up at the sound of him, but he nodded and turned back to Zack. As Sephiroth approached the group, the girls head shot up. Cloud felt his insides turn to much. She had grown so much. So much prettier. Her eyes still held the same gentle kindness they had when he was small, but something made him sad. In her eyes was fear.

Tifa Lockheart shook her head as Sephiroth approached and jumped to her feet. As she turned to race back into the safety of the town, Cloud caught a glimpse of what must have been tears. He wanted to go to her. To hold her and tell her it was okay.

But it wasn't him she cried for, he realized. It was Zack and Sephiroth. Both handsome. Both suddenly there. Both…there to take his place in her heart. Those were her heroes. Cloud Strife was again a shadow of a memory.

"How does it feel?"

Cloud glanced up, watching the General as he opened his arms. His black trench coat blew about him in a soft breeze, his long hair mingling with the leaves spinning in the air.

"S-sir?" He asked, walking closer to the group.

"It's your first time back to your hometown in a long time, right?" Sephiroth asked, turning to Cloud. Cloud nodded. "So how does it feel? I wouldn't know because I don't have a hometown.…"

"Ummm... how 'bout your parents?" Cloud asked, nervous.

"My mother is Jenova. She died right after she gave birth to me." He had no sorrow in his voice, no pain. His eyes were cold as always. Did he hold no emotions at all? "My father…"

Laughter broke through the air. The man shook his head as the thought of his father seemed to amuse him.

"What does it matter...? All right, let's go."

Zack nodded. Two of the guards followed the general into the town. Cloud paused, looking towards a lonely window. He had looked into the window years ago, wishing for someone to look out at him.

"You alright Cloud?"

"Hm?" Cloud looked sadly over at Zack, as concern spread over his friends face. "Oh…Yeah…Lets go."


	35. One Short

"Its…So quiet." Cloud whispered, looking about the empty place. He had heard that the monster attacks last time had been bad, leaving a mans limbs torn across the town…Maybe that was why they were all inside their houses.

"Zack…?"

"Hm?" The black haired young man walked over to his friend, looking disappointed.

"Do you think they are afraid of us?"

Zack glanced to his left, towards Sephiroth. Slowly he said "Naw…It…it's the monsters Cloudy. They aren't afraid of us."

"We leave for the reactor at dawn." Sephiroth said suddenly. All eyes turned to the silver haired general. The last few days had crawled along so slowly, it pained Cloud to remember them. His body was sore from sleeping in the back of a truck, or on the hard ground. He couldn't wait to be back in a nice bed. He was positive Zack thought the same.

"Make sure you all get to sleep early." Cloud nodded and went to stand next to the blue suited man who had driven them this far. Upon seeing this, the general went on. "We only need one lookout, so you others get some rest."

He turned and walked towards the inn, opening the door. Zack's mouth fell open, but Sephiroth seemed to know what the cocky youth was going to say. "Oh, that's right…You may also visit family and friends."

With that said, the general retreated from the days sun, inside the cozy inn. Zack grinned and patted Cloud on the back. "have fun kid." He said, walking into the inn.

Clouds heart tugged. He wanted to go visit Tifa. Tell her everything. Tell her how he had failed to make it to SOLDIER. Tell her he couldn't be her hero. Tell her he didn't deserve to see her. Tell her…

Nothing. Nothing at all. His eyes jerked from her window, which he had longingly spent so many nights and days outside of it. Wishing to merely enter that room, and enter that house because she wanted him there.

He followed Zack inside.

The inn was warm. Warm and cozy and decorated in reds. He looked around, smiling to himself. It never changed.

Near the counter leaned a aging man, with a strange purple suit and red cape. Cloud had never seen him before, but he merely wrinkled his nose and went upstairs to find Zack.

He found the general first, peering out a window and out to the scenery. Frowning, Cloud wondered what he was doing, watching whatever it was he was watching.

"s-sir?"

"Strife?"

"What…" He gulped. He didn't like being around Sephiroth, not after Costa Del Sol. "What are you looking at?"

"...This scenery… I feel like I know this place. ...We have an early start tomorrow. You should get some sleep soon."

Cloud opened his mouth to protest, or press on the subject of Sephiroth knowing this place, but a moan from inside the room caught his attention. Sephiroth sighed and turned to the doorway.

"What now, Flame?"

"We don't have enough beds!"

Sephiroth looked over at Cloud. "Well, one of us will have to ask the locals for a room to stay in."

Cloud gulped.

"Your…mother, wasn't it? Yes. Your mother lives in this town, doesn't she?"

Slowly Cloud nodded.

"Well, Flame, it seems we have solved the issue of the bed.


	36. Ideas

I felt pity for Cloud. I know he wasn't proud of running away, or the idea that he had left Tifa down. I knew he didn't want to leave Sephiroth and me in the inn together, for fear the general would slaughter me. But…I had offered to go and ask the young Tifa Lockheart to stay in her home. Apparently such a thought angered the boy, for he told me to go to a very unpleasant place and do a very unpleasant thing with my idea of asking.


	37. Picture

"Flame, your late."

Zack yawned, stretching before dropping to one knee and zipping up his shoe, then lacing it.

"Sorry Seph. Over slept."

The general looked un-effected by the excuse. "We woke you many times Flame, and you refused to say much more then sick things about women getting into a pool naked."

Zack grinned sheepishly, as Cloud let out an exasperated sigh. "Zack!"

"Hey, I don't control my dreams. Not my fault my minds been on some attractive young woman sense we-"

Cloud clenched a gloved fist before reaching for his riffle. Zack shook his head.

"I'm only kidding Cloudy. Losses up! Man, when are we leaving?" Zack's head turned to face the silver haired Sephiroth. The man turned from his companion, looking at the mountains.

"Once the guide gets here we are leaving."

"Listen Sephiroth," Cloud spun around, not realizing people had been behind them. "If something should happen…"

"…Trust me." The general told the man. Zack glanced at Cloud. The blond boy, face hidden by his Shinra uniform, had his eyes fixed on the man.

'Probably someone he knows' Zack though.. He could hear feet pounding on the tiles of the town behind him, and soon they were clomping up the path towards the mountain. Zack turned his head to look at the person who approached.

"I'll be all right, Dad! I have two men from SOLDIER with me!"

Zack's eyes widened at the sigh of the girl. A pale, brown leather skirt, vest and "cow boy" hat were proudly being worn by this woman, the vest over a plane white shirt. She smiled pleasantly, crimson eyes dancing in excitement. She looked from her father, to Zack, then to Sephiroth.

"Hi. I'm Tifa. Nice to meet you!"

Zack's jaw dropped, and he could hear Cloud gasp behind him. He had to do something. For Cloud. If this girl got hurt…

"Tifa?! You're the guide?!" He exclaimed, eyes wide. The girl looked over at him, frowning in confusion.

"That's right…I just so happen to be the number one guide in this town…" She just stared at him like he was mental.

"It's too dangerous! I can't involve you in something like this!" He told her, knowing it to do no good. Sephiroth would just say-

"Then there's no problem if you protect her." The general told Zack, looking bitterly down at the man. He turned from them all and started towards the mountain. " ...Let's go."

"Wait!" a new voice cried. Zack and Cloud, who had both started to follow Sephiroth, turned to the owner of the new voice. Unlike Tifa's father, who was a slim man and appearing in his late 30's, this new person was short and plump. He didn't look much older then 17, at the most. The general never stopped walking.

"Ummm... Mr. Sephiroth! Please let me take one picture for a memento!" The man called. No luck. Cloud looked at Zack. Zack shook his head and looked at Tifa. The boy did too.

"ahh, Tifa, can you ask him for me too...?" He asked, eyes that of a begging 4 year old. Tifa frowned, then nodded and trotted past Cloud and Zack. Zack started to grin sleepily again. Cloud growled and smacked his friend.

"None of that!" the blond commanded. Zack rubbed his arm, scolding.

"Fine. Your no fun Cl-"

The general and Tifa begun to walk back towards Zack and Cloud. Zack stopped his sentence.

"Um…Mr. Guard?" The young man asked, looking at Clouds short form. Cloud looked over at the village boy. "Could you move?"

Clouds shoulders almost slumped, and Zack felt his heart tug as Cloud nodded and walked away. The poor boy. This had been his dream. He had stolen it.

"Cheeeeese!"


	38. Bitter

"Ow…Cramp…"

"Flame, I expected you to have held up better."

Zack gasped for breath, hands resting on his slightly bent knees. He glared over at the General, wanting to set fire to his long silver hair as it tossed itself elegantly in the wind. Wrinkling his nose and hanging his head he repeated the generals words in a mocking whisper, his voice slightly shrill and twisted into an annoying buzz.

"Flame." Zack's black haired head jerked up, eyes meeting the green ones of Sephiroth. "I heard that."

Zack gave him a sly grin. The general shook his head. "What am I going to do with you?"

"You could give put in a good word with Shinra and have them give me a raise."

"Not hardly. Tossing you off the mountain sounds much more entertaining, and less effort."

"That, and you don't have to deal with the fat mans constant nagging, eh?" Zack asked, pushing himself back into an upright position and following Sephiroth as he followed Tifa away. Behind him Cloud and the other guard, the last 2 guards of the three they originally had, trudged up the mountain path. Zack smiled wearily.

"what a day. First the bridge collapsed, we were then lost in the maze of tunnels, Sephy lectured us on magic and science, and now this friggen cliff."

"And the monsters." Tifa's sweet voice carried back to him. Zack shrugged.

"That was the best part." He told her, but to himself he muttered something about holding her before the fall. That gained him a smack upside the head, gifted by Cloud.

"Ouch. You little worm!" He snapped, grinning as he looked over at Cloud. Under his mask the blonds face was on fire with rage. "I was only joking choco head."

Cloud shook in rage and hissed, "Keep walking, jerk, and I wont fill you full of holes. May I remind you that my guns loaded."

"Ohhh, threats now. Well-"

"Shut up!" Sephiroth snapped at them, shaking his head. "Like an old married couple. Bicker, bicker, bicker. Dammit, get counseling. Until then, keep your thoughts in her heads and not in ours!"

Zack blinked, shocked at Sephiroth's sudden outburst. But he nodded none the less and fell back into step with Cloud, letting the other guard pass them. He didn't want to be anywhere near that 7 foot sword General Sephiroth was stroking threateningly.

"Oh goodness. Phew."

"What?" Zack asked, stopping next to Tifa and looking at her with curiosity spread thickly over his face.

"We finally made it. We sure took the long way through!" She exclaimed, breathing heavily and looking up at the reactor.

It wasn't a pretty place. Silver exterior had long sense become victim to rust and grime. Shinra's red seal was painted on the front of the structure, paint chipped and peeling off. A set of metal stairs led up to the door, and large tubes came from the top and sides of the reactor. About two stories up was a criss cross of stairways. It was smaller then the ones found in Midgar, but that was because most of the reactor was built underground.

Cloud looked over at Zack as his childhood friend Tifa made her way for the stairway. Zack grabbed her quickly, knowing the thoughts racing through Clouds head. If Tifa was hurt in there…

"Tifa, you wait here." He told her sternly, letting her go before she got the idea to smack him for touching her( which he had tried to do on a number of occasions and only received very convincing threats)

"I'm going inside too! I wanna see!" She said, taking a step away from Zack and starting once again for the stairway Sephiroth was climbing. The general stopped and sighed, shaking his head and turning back to her.

"Only authorized people are allowed in. This place is full of Shinra's industrial secrets." The silver haired man told her, staring her down.

"But!"

Sephiroth looked away from Tifa to Cloud. The younger boy flinched, but held his gaze. "Take care of the lady." He told the blond, and turned to walk inside. Zack trotted after him, glancing at Cloud. He gave the worried guard a half hearted smile and opened the door. As it shut, he could hear Tifa's bitter words-

"Mm, man! Better take real good care of me then!"

Zack grinned. "Oh, he will." He whispered.


	39. A world without

Thinking of it now, Cloud wasn't as nice and innocent as everyone thought. He was constantly threatening me and giving me looks meant only to kill. If Seph had not been around, I'm sure the younger boy would have aimed that gun at me.

Then again, if Seph hadn't been around, well…

I wouldn't be in the situation I am right now.


	40. Thoughts

"This is...... Jenova, right?"

He stood in front of a large metal door, hands on his hips and standing on his toes to peer through a small glass window in the door. It was mucked up from the inside, and one could hardly see through the tiny window, but Zack could make out some sort of person like structure on the other side of the door. He fell back onto his feel, and glanced back at Sephiroth. The general moved his eyes towards the ceiling, then to an object above Zack's head. Frowning in confusion the black haired man backed up.

'Ah,' he thought, reading the sign ' So it is Jenova.'

With a quick shrug he reached for the door and twisted. It didn't budge. He frowned, looking at the lock. It was a type of touch pad, one with letters and numbers filling most of the space and a black bar at the top to show what the user of the pad was typing in. Consulting his memory, Zack Flame silently pressed the required buttons to open the door. A buzz went up when he had finished, and the raven haired man again tried the door.

Still no luck.

"The lock won't open…" He said slowly, not really sure _why_ the lock wouldn't open. He had done the code properly, he was sure of it. He checked what he typed again, confirming his belief, and was about to say something more then the general cut him short.

"This is the reason for the malfunction." Sephiroth said. Zack turned to him to watch him walking along the first row of pod like containers in the reactor. A frown on his face and his hands now resting on his hips, the younger of the two men opened his mouth, but his question was answered before it even escaped him.

"This part is broken." The Midgar hero tapped a part of the pod. Zack walked towards the small stairway, leaping down them two at a time until he reached his companion. The man didn't even seem to notice, nor lose his train of thought. "Zack, close the valve."

Nodding obediently, Zack did as he was told. He struggled with the object momentarily, until finally the valve game up resisting.

"Why did it break...?"

"Dunno." Zack replied, walking back over to the platinum haired man. He gave Zack no notice as he looked over the pod again.

" ...now I see, Hojo." With a sick chuckle he went on, " But, even doing this, will never put you on the same level as Professor Gast."

His head turned to survey Zack's face, confusion clearly written across it. Sephiroth straightened up, gifting the younger man a strange, twisted, smile.

"This is a system that condenses and freezes the Mako energy," He explained, turning back to the pod and moving to another. " ... that is, when it's working correctly. Now... what does Mako energy became when it's further condensed?"

__

He sounds like a teacher. Zack thought bitterly, laying his weight on one leg.

"Uh, ummm...…" _Dammit, I have no idea. What did he say, what did he tell us earlier? I know he said something… But damn, all he ever says only goes in one ear and fly out and hits Cloud through the other._ The general tapped his foot in impatience.

Suddenly something stirred in the back of Zack's mind. An image came back to him. He was watching Tifa lean over the Mako fountain…He remembered thinking 'just a little farther…down…'

But his sick and (to him) pleasant thoughts were interrupted by Sephiroth's voice.

__

"When you condense Mako energy, materia is produced. It's very rare to be able to see materia in its natural state"

__

"Oh yeah!" He said, smacking his forehead. " It becomes a Materia!"

"Right, normally." The general said, clearly used to Zack's catching on slowly, or his lack of brain, whichever didn't matter to the man. "But Hojo put something else in there." Sephiroth stood up on his toes a little, peering through another glass window. A circular one this time, clean, compared to the one on Jenova's cell.

"...Take a look. Look through the window."

Zack glanced at Sephiroth, disturbed by his hauntingly calm tone, then shrugged and marched over to the closest pod. He glanced again at Sephiroth, then lifted his face to the window.

And quickly showed away, falling back onto the floor with a thud. What he had seen reminded him of dolls the little girls in his village had played with, until some rough boys stole them and mutilated them, adding tentacles to their heads and painting their bodies sick shades.

Horns grew out of this beasts head, and it seemed to be covered in scales. It was colored a pale gray, and to Zack, looked much like a corpse. The corpse of a beaten and broken body. Even his worst nightmares, nightmares of monsters and demons, couldn't compare to the sight of this beast. Gasping in shock, his head darted to face Sephiroth.

"Wh... what is this!?"

"Normal members of SOLDIER are humans that have been showered with Mako. You're different from the others, but still human. But, what are they? They've been exposed to a high degree of Mako, far more than you." The man said, in his same sickly calm voice. It sent shivers down Zack's spine. With a heave, the man shoved himself back onto his feet, stumbling and refusing to look at the pods. He knew if he did, he wouldn't be able to look away.

" ...is this some kind of monster?" He asked slowly, trying to keep his eyes from darting to the window.

"Exactly. And it's Hojo of Shinra that produced these monsters. Mutated living organisms produced by Mako energy. That's what these monster's really are." The general stepped close to the pod once again, looking at it with an expression and a feeling in his eyes Zack just couldn't match with anything. Longing? Realization? Hate?

"Normal members of SOLDIER? You mean you're different?" Sephiroth's body began to shake, and this time Zack was sure he saw pain mixed in with that realization of before. A hidden realization, of a fact that had always been sleeping under his pale skin. "H... hey, Sephiroth?"

"N...no..." the general whispered, looking around the reactors interior. "...Was I?"

Zack leaped back suddenly, as Sephiroth let out a cry of rage and anguish. The masumune being unleashed soon followed. The blades edge slammed against a pod, creating deep scratches in the object. One blow was followed by another, and another, and every time the blade hit Zack flinched. The silver haired mans eyes darted to him, and Zack quickly took the sign as that of one which screamed "move!" at him. He did as the sign told, racing out of the 7 foot swords reach.

"Sephiroth!" He screamed, watching as the man stopped his slashing, only to tremble.

"...Was I created this way too? Am I the same as all these monsters…?" He asked, voice hollow of any emotion at all, or an hint of emotion.

"...Sephiroth. I-" Zack started, but flames danced in Sephiroth's eyes as he spun to face Zack. An arm, covered in the gray and black of his trenchant, shot out to point at the pods.

"You saw it!" He yelled in rage, still trembling, flames still dancing, "All of them were humans!

"Humans?" Zack asked, trying to sound confident that the general was mistake, "No way!"

"...I've always felt since I was small…," Sephiroth said, lost in his own world now, ignoring Zack's very existents as he turned back to the pod. "That I was different from the others. Special, in some way." His black gloved hand stroked the glass, before he crunched it into a fist and pounded it against the glass.

"But... not like this…"


	41. Comfort

"Zack?"

Zack had been leaning heavily on the little blond next to him, half asleep, half daydreaming. His eyes blinked open with some difficulty. With a moan, he pushed himself off his friend and mutter an apology.

"Sorry C-C-Cloudy." He muttered, yawning and stretching his arms. "I didn't realize I was doing that."

The blond shrugged, leaning back against the well and gazing up at the stars. Clouds consumed most of the sky, but in between their curtain like function one could make out bright dots in the distance.

"Its not that. I don't mind, I know your tired. Its…It's Sephiroth."

"Oh." Zack slumped back into his original position, closing his eyes and using Clouds shoulder as a pillow. He snuggle up against him and the well, much like an un-comfortable dog may burrow deeper into its couch seat, and grinned foolishly. Cloud laughed and shook his head, yawning.

"You idiot." He muttered. Zack nodded as if to agree.

"You got that right. So what about Seph?"

It had been almost a full day sense the general and his men had returned to the village, and Cloud had said nothing to Zack. The two men had not had a moment alone to talk. Now though, all house lights were switched off, and only the dull glow of Zack's eyes and that of a lamp fixed outside of the inn were left to show the two men's whereabouts. No one would bother them, and for that Zack was glad.

"What happened up at the reactor?" Cloud asked, inverting is eyes from the sky down to Zack. "He hasn't come out of the inn sense we have gotten back and he left all commands up to you. That isn't like him, Zack. If there is one thing I have learned about Sephiroth it's that he is second to no one and he hates being stuffed up inside."

Zack nodded slowly, grabbing his navy jacket from where he had left it, hanging on the side of the well, and pulling it over his body. It was rather chilly outside. "Mmm, you have that right Cloud." He muttered, and smiled to himself. Behind his eyelids the young Tifa danced for him. Lucky for him, Cloud couldn't see into his head.

"So what happened? And why are you smiling?"

Zack quickly erased his smile and opened one eye to peer up at Cloud, erasing his dream quickly. For a moment he hardly saw the guard, but soon his vision cleared and he could make out the spiky head.

"Sephiroth thinks he was made like the monsters in the reactor."

Clouds body stiffened and his eyes grew. Zack sighed, closed his eyes, and poked his small friend. "Easy Cloud. You go board on me and I no longer have a nice pillow but a door."

Cloud snorted. "Very funny. What do you mean, monsters in the reactor?"

Zack yawned, bored by these memories. "Nothing we cant take care of. We plan to do it in a few days, we just need to get some stuff ready and call Shinra to report. Receptions not good out here."

It was his turn to be poked. "Zack! What monsters?!"

"Shhhh, keep your voice down. Damn your loud sometimes." Zack muttered, glaring at his friend. "Seph'll kill me if he knew you knew ahead of time. Look, it seems Hojo- The scientist that Shinra hired awhile back, the one who replaced Gast, has been playing with mako, humans, and another thing. Seph and I don't know what the last thing is, but he seems convinced there is something more. Jenova being there has something to do with it, I know it for sure, but I didn't even bring that up to Sephiroth. He was in a rage and that sword would probably would have ended up my ass."

"…What does Hojo's experiments have to do with the monsters?" Cloud asked. Zack blinked, shook his head, and closed his eyes tight.

"Everything Cloud. The monsters are being grown in the pods, in the reactor. The pods contain the mako. The-"

"the monsters where human!" Cloud explained. Zack poked him.

"Hush you. Don't wake up the whole town. Yes, the monsters were human. Hojo's playing with human experiments, and I think Shinra's playing us all."

Zack opened an eye to look up at Cloud. The boys face was filled with worry. Zack laughed and snuggled against him some more, merely to let the blond know he was still there.

"Oh jeez Cloud, don't worry about it. Seph and I will get to the bottom of this."

"I…Zack, do you think that some of the people from this town will be next? To…to go to the reactor and be…become…"

"Mmm, nope. I'm not going to let them, and you wont let the Shinra take them, so with us guarding this place, everything will be all set. Everyone will be fine."

"O-okay…"

"And Cloud, if we're going to go eliminate those friggen monsters, I wont let them eat you." He said in a serious tone, but his words were meant to cheer Cloud up.

The boy sighed. "I know." He said, voice filled with sadness. Zack glared.

"Oh you doof. Lighten up." He said, reaching up to ruffle Clouds spiked up hair. "Chocobo brains."

The little boy glared at first, but then Cloud smiled.


	42. Wakeup Call

"Sir, sir,"

__

Noooo, He thought, releasing a moan as his dream slipped away, _I-Fox was alive and-_

"Sir, Sir, please get up!"

__

Dammit! His hand gripped the quilt and sheets, flinging them off with such a force that Zack's fist collided with the face of the rude man. The young guard gasped in pain and stumbled back, holding his nose as blood poured down into his fingers. Seeing the pain he had caused this boy Zack swore and stumbled out of bed.

"Don't stand there next time!" He snapped bitterly at the man, older then he, racing around the other side of the bed, stocking feet making dull thuds in the darkened room. "Dammit, you should have gained that much from watching Cloud poke me awake! You don't stand behind me!"

The guard nodded pitifully, backing up to the door as Zack approached. "Y-yes sir. Sir, we-The general-We"

"Fuck the general!" Zack snapped, racing over to the man and grabbing him before the blue suited guard could run away. Mind set on the cure materia set in his weapon, he watched as the bleeding nose of the guard slowly stopped is crimson waterfall. The boy tried again to yank away. Zack rolled his eyes and let him go.

"Oh, I only hurt you once. What are you running away for?" Zack asked tartly, glaring with bloodshot eyes over at the young man, fists planted firmly on his hips.

"I-you-You fought the General and ev-everyone _knows_ how strong he is. If you-you could live while he was in a rage then-"

"Oh, I get it-" Zack snapped, wrinkling his nose and turning away. "You think I'm just as deadly. Hah. Not hardly."

"Ye-Well…Sir, no, that's-"

Zack rolled his eyes, yawning and stretching his still tired body. "What did you come for?" He asked, walking over to the closest dresser and flinging it open. His green eyes searched through the darkened object, his hands pushing Cloud's uniforms and night clothes aside, gripping one of the dark violet suits SOLDIER men wore. He wrinkled his nose at its color, but took it off the hanger and closed the doors of the dresser. Annoyed now by not getting an answer out of the timid guard, Zack turned to him and tried to look cheerful.

He guessed the look was a little to cheerful, for the guard blinked in confusion, hands still cupping blood.

"Ack!" Zack smacked his hand against his forehead, tossing his clothing onto the bed and stalking off for the bathroom. "Come with me you. Forgot you were bloody. Why didn't you say something? Goodness man, I'm not about to eat you or anything."

The SOLDIER yanked open the small white rooms door, snatching the nearest towel off a counter top, and nearly running into the shorter guard on his way out. He stumbled back in surprise, but re-gained his composure quickly and dabbed the towel in the puddle of blood the guard held.

"There. Now get that and whatever other mess you made cleaned up while I change. Then you can explain why you woke me up so rudely." Suddenly the raven haired man frowned, then glared. "And I wont forget it. I was having a very close-to-the-heart dream and I will not get to have one so toughing ever again. So you better have a good excuse."

And as Zack stalked back into the inns room, he heard the teenage guard mutter- "Close to the heart? Probably Tifa close to his body."

"I heard that!" He snapped, but he couldn't help but laugh.


	43. Jenova Project

"I-I didn't go down." He stuttered in surprise, standing up from the dusty, red velvet chair. Zack's eyes looking about the room quickly, taking it all in in seconds.

It seemed to be an old bedroom. White lace curtains swung a little as a gentle breeze swept through the broken window. Bugs had eaten parts of the once lovely piece away, and time had faded it to a dull, grimy, yellow. The bed's quilt looked brown now, but Zack assumed that it had once been the same red color as red chair next to it. It appeared mice had gotten to that piece of furniture.

"Where did he go?" He asked the Shinra guard. The man wasn't Cloud. He was to tall, his voice to rough, and his movements to mechanical like for him to ever be Cloud. Wisps of red hair fell form under the cover of the guard mask. Another thing that could never make this man Cloud. It was the same guard he had run into only minutes before.

"He-He came into this room, Sir. And he went through-through the wall!" The man pointed behind Zack. Brushing raven hair from his eyes Zack sighed.

'_Idiot. He couldn't have walked through the friggen wall._'

"Its probably a secret entrance. Where's Cloud?" Zack asked, rushing to the wall that the man pointed at. Zack skimmed the wall with to quick eyes, looking for anything out of the ordinary.

"I-He came here before me, Sir, and he told me to get something from downstairs. When I came back up, he was gone."

Zack swore. "The idiot. Ugh!" Bright green eyes full of annoyance, Zack kicked out at the bookshelf next to the rounded wall the guard had pointed out. Novels tumbled from their places to pile up on the floor.

His eyes widened. On the 4th shelf up, the books remaining hadn't even moved. Suddenly something dawned on him: This place was the mirror image of Ivy's home. That meant- he grinned and grabbed at the books.

"you idiot, they didn't go through the friggen wall!" He exclaimed, finding a small indent quickly with his bare fingers. He pressed down on it, causing the stone wall to vibrate and move aside. The man behind him gasped, and Zack half wanted to hit him, half wanted to shove him down the spiral stairway before him.

Green light poured like fog from the hidden stairway, moths and other strange creatures fluttering neat its source to create blurred shadows at Zack's feet.

"Stay here." He snapped at the young guard, squinting into the tunnel. The guard gulped loudly behind him, but nodded. Almost timidly, Zack took a step inside.

The stairs were rotting away underneath him, making his heart jump. He peered around them, down , down , down. The stairs disappeared before he could clearly make out their ending point. The green light shone bright on the upper stairs, but after one or two turns the light no longer could reach.

Zack shook his head, almost backing up. He opened his mouth to say they needed to find another way down, when he remembered Cloud. Down in that mess with the general. Gritting his teeth he shook his head.

__

If he doesn't kill you Cloud I swear I will.

He took another step, the creak of the stair making him shiver.

__

This is mad. I can face bullets flying no problem, but a stair no older then the one in Ivy's home entry scares me senseless!

But this stairway was probably built first. And it was probably used the least, and probably not taken care of or even bothered with.

Didn't matter. Cloud was down there.

He found himself walking and driven into walking only because of Cloud. SOLDIER's were supposed to be tough- Seems they didn't count on ever getting Zack Flame as a member.

His soft brown boots made small crunching noises with each step, and the stair either shivered or groaned with every movement. In no time, though, he was plunged into the darkness. His hand kept itself glued to the gritty wall, letting that be his guide down.

Unexpectedly, the stairs ceased to creek. The felt more solid under him now. Turning his head, squinting in the dark, he made out a pale light escaping from under some object. Opening his eyes fully he could see a thin beam of yellow glow climbing up the side of the object as well.

__

A door? Aha! Then I must have reached the bottom.

With that thought releasing the fear of toppling to his death in this dark hole, Zack removed his hand ( rubbing it on his leg to be rid of the dirt and any other thing that might have clung to his skin) and quickened his pace. His foot coughed on a slight rise, and he stumbled in the dark. Not being able to see to determine where the ground was, he fall forward and connected with something solid. He groaned- not only from the pain but the thought of the noise he was making. Someone, or something, must have heard that. His hand reached for a blade that wasn't there. Swearing at his stupidity he waited for something to make a sound.

Nothing did. It took him a good two minutes to gain the courage, or stupidity, to push himself up and dust himself off.

__

Well…lets try this again Flame.

He took a cautious step, and immediately realized he had been lying on a ramp. There was a slight decline in the level he stood on. Mentally he again cursed his stupidity.

__

It seems to be never ending. He though bitterly, making towards the door.

His eyes widened. Going from no light to a purple glow wasn't what caused it though, after he has finally shoved open the door. It was what lay beyond the door.

Skeletons. Corpses. Rotting things. Chains. The ground looks squishy in places, but the rest was hard cement. He took a step back, shaking his head.

"what the hell…" He whispered, eyes looking about slowly. Boxes were piled against one wall. What appeared to be a human skeleton was reaching for something nearby. The walls dripped with moisture and slime. Sacks stomach knotted and he felt the room spin. He'd never seen anything so disgusting in his life. Bodies littering the ground after war was better then skulls hidden in the basement.

__

"Friends keep their mouths shut about the bodies in your basement. Best friends help you bury them." Guess these people didn't have any best friends. of course, Shinra owns this place, so its only typical Shinra I guess…But I never…-

His thoughts were cut off suddenly by the sound of a voice from down the hall.

"-Ck?"

Zack blinked, squinting. His eyes suddenly widened. There, hidden in the shadows near a door as the far end of this tunnel, was Cloud. He was standing upright, trembling, gun at the ready.

Zack's stomach seemed to relax and his focused returned- Cloud and the General were down here.

"Cloud, what are you doing?" He asked, racing for the boy, careful to avoided any…surprises hidden down here.

"I- The general came down here. I know he could take care of himself- but it's the guards duty on this trip to protect the SOLDIER members. So-so I followed."

Zack sighed, shaking his head. He was relieved Cloud was alright-

"Oh Cloud." He whispered, smiling. _Little Cloud, remembering his duty._ "little blond runt, you should have gotten me first."

Cloud smiled wearily.

"I-I know. You- But the general…"

Cloud glanced at the door. Zack frowned, and silently pulled it open. He flinched at the suddenly rush of light.

"A-a lab?" He whispered.

It was very much a lab. A table in the center of this odd shaped, semi circular, room for experiments. Test tubes were set up, glowing a pale green, against the wall on his right. Vials and concoctions in them were set on custom made shelving units on a wall directly in front of him. Book shelves and large, thick, novels and journals were taking up all wall space on his left.

And in the center of all this was the silver haired Sephiroth, holding a leather bound journal in his grasp.

"Seph?" Zack asked, frowning. The look on the generals face was indescribable. Somewhere between contemplating and anguish.

"...an organism that was apparently dead, was found in a 2000 year old geological stratum." Zack heard him whisper as he read, the well built young man turning from the specimen table to carry on down a hallway. Zack glanced at Cloud, who was standing at his elbow, then started to follow.

"Professor Gast named that organism, Jenova…"

"Zack, wasn't Jenova-?" Cloud started to whisper, bed Zack's hand clamped over his mouth. The black haired man nodded, his small ponytail bouncing a little.

"Yes, Cloud."

"X Year, X Month, X Day- Jenova confirmed to be an Ancient …"

Zack blinked, frowning. _Ancient. Ancient…An- !!- Aeris! Aeris was an Ancient!_

He glanced over at Cloud, feeling the young man tug on his sleeve. Confusion was written into his expression. It must have been Zack's own expression of surprised that caused it. He shrugged at the little boy, ears still straining to hear Sephiroth as he moved farther away.

"X Year, X Month, X Day- Jenova Project approved. The use of Mako Reactor I approved for use…" There was a pause in his reading, and Zack was positive, though the back of the man was towards him, confusion was written on his face. "My mother's name is Jenova... Jenova Project... Is this just a coincidence? Professor Gast... Why didn't you tell me anything? ...Why did you die?"


	44. Deterioration

He spend the evening in the Shinra Mansion, lying awake in bed, eyes locked onto a broke light fixture hanging by one screw. He tried to remember if he got any sleep when he finally peeked out his window. After many attempts to remember when he dozed off, he decided he must have slept. Clouds whimpering and turning in the bed next to the one he had claimed seemed to have died out one or twice the night before. Now he rolled over on his side, the bead screaming as he did so. Cloud lay sleeping soundly on his side, dusty, dirty pillow clung to his chest. Smiling wearily, Zack yawned and pushed himself from the bed. It couldn't have been much before dawn. Two hours at most? It was still dark, but the stars had died.

The two young men had not dared leave the mansion. When Zack had entered it the day before most of the town had lined up at the gates, whispering that the general had gone mad. He didn't want Sephiroth to go out there, ranting like a lunatic. Shinra wouldn't look good, and know Seph…Well, he probably wouldn't take the stares of the townspeople to lightly.

So Zack and Cloud had stayed inside, avoiding questions from the town. The black haired SOLDIER had sent the other guard off the fetch his sword, and Cloud and Zack watched the hole Sephiroth had disappeared into. Stretching his arms Zack sat back on the bed, reaching under the old furniture pierce to retrieve his boots. A mouse scarred from under cover of shadows to duck under Clouds bed. Zack hardly noticed, nor cared. Slipping cold feet into his scuffed up boots, his mind wandered to Sephiroth. The young red haired guard was to get him if ever the general left his new residence in the basement. Zack didn't break the young mans nose a second time, so he assumed the war hero was still there. He picked his sword up off the floor, fastening it to his back.

__

Must be. he though, standing and returning to the guest room that held the stairway. He didn't even bother snapping the dozed off guard to attention- The man needed his sleep. He did think about moving him from the velvet upholstered chair to the bed, but then he remembered the glass and thought better of it.

Silently as he could manage, he tapped the books on the 4th shelf, noticing the other novels he had sent toppling the day before had been carefully place back into their original position. Even dusted off. The guard must have done it. All well. Small, random, acts of kindness to a swiftly growing evil didn't make men heroes, or even get the any public recognition. Zack would be though a fool to bring such a simple act up the Sephiroth.

Who probably wouldn't care, or even listen, anyway. Zack shook his head. Sephiroth had always been mad, but now the 1st class SOLDIER elite was beginning to wonder if Sephiroth was unraveling.

Didn't much matter, he guessed as he stepped into the darkened stairway. Sephiroth would still be some godling to all the little boys.

"Zack?" Zack stopped dead, five steps down into the darkness. His head shot around, the stairs trembling at his sudden movement.

"Cloud!" He hissed, glaring at the guard behind him. "Go back to bed!"

"But I-" The little boy yawned, taking a step down towards Zack.

"No. No buts. Look Cloud, why don't you go visit your mother again. We'll be leaving in a few days, and once the general his back to himself you wont have time to see her again."

Cloud shook his head. "no…I'm coming with you. I don't want to see mother. She only makes me feel miserable."

"Dammit Cloud! You heard him yesterday! He's going to be grumpy and depressed today, if he found anything out about his mother or father. He'll probably take it out on me as it is, but I wont have him skinning your hide! Go-go…Go guard the door. Go back out front and watch the gate, make sure no one gets in."

"But-"

"Grr. That's an ORDER Strife!" he snapped. Clouds eyes widened, and he looked as if he had just been smacked in the face.

__

Dammit! Your tired, you don't want him hurt, but yet your taking this all out in the wrong way!

"I-…" He bowed his head and looked away. "Sorry Cloud."

"Its…Its alright. I'll…I'll go watch the gate for you."

"Cloud.."

"Sorry to bother you, Sir."

He heard the door slide shut behind him, and Clouds footsteps race away. Zack sighed miserably. _I didn't mean to snap, Cloud…_

Slowly he started for the basement, feeling even more crummy then he had when he awoke. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._

By the time his black head reached the study door Zack had concocted 11 different ways to apologize, many ending with him in tears or on his knees. If it would get Cloud to forgive him, he didn't care how pathetic he looked. He just couldn't believe he had hurt the boy. He had never done that before…Had he?

As he pushed opened the door though, all thoughts of Cloud vanished as laughter reached his ears. It wasn't pleasurable laughter, more like hysterical laughter mixed with insanity. Frowning and cocking his head to the right, Zack walked farther into the study.

"Ha, ha, ha...... Who is it!?" Zack stopped in front of the entry to the hall, looking down it. Through the hall were piles upon piles of books, and at the other end a desk and more shelves. Sephiroth sat at the desk, looking angered and disappointed.

"Hmph... Traitor."

"W-What?" Zack asked, confused, walking down the hall. "Traitor?"

"You ignorant traitor."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Zack asked, stopping at the mouth of the new room. The general stood up, a mad glint in his green eyes.

"I'll tell you." He said, a grin flashing momentarily on his face. "This was a itinerant race. They would migrate in, settle the Planet, then move on... At the end of their harsh, hard journey, they would find the Promised Land and supreme happiness. But, those who stopped their migrations built shelters and elected to lead an easier life." The general had come around the desk to stand in front of Zack, smiling curly, hands locked behind his back. His coat and hair swished with every step. "They took that which the Cetra and the planet had made without giving back one whit in return! Those are your ancestors."

Zack took a step then, the tone in Sephiroth's voice frightening him. Had he lost it completely?

"S-Sephiroth…" He said slowly, stopping his backwards walk after two feet.

The man wrinkled up the side of his nose, turning swiftly from Zack to walk towards a shelf on the right wall.

"Long ago, disaster struck this planet. Your ancestors escaped... They survived because they hid. The Planet was saved by sacrificing the Cetra. After that, your ancestors continued to increase. Now all that's left of the Cetra is in these reports." His long fingered hand plucked up a novel, waving it a little as his head turned to face Zack again.

"I don't understand." Zack said, confusion clearly written over his face. "None of this makes sense. What does all this have to do with you?"

Sephiroth let out an exasperated sigh. "Don't you get it?! An Ancient named Jenova was found in the geological stratum of 2000 years ago. The Jenova Project. The Jenova Project wanted to produce people with the powers of the Ancients...... no, the Cetra! ...I am the one that was produced."

"Pr-…Produced?!" And it all crashed down on him.

__

Like the monsters in the reactor…Jenova…They were making-

"Yes. Professor Gast, leader of the Jenova Project and genius scientist, produced me." He stated, dropping the book down onto a pile of others.

"W-What?!" Zack asked, a new fear swallowing the respect he had held of this man. The hero of the war…He had heard men assume he took some sort of drug or steroid to get his powerful…But no. It was much worse, much more complicated then that. Now he knew… "How?! How did he-S-"

Sephiroth was walking towards him now, hate in his eyes, hand resting on the masumane.

"Sephiroth?"

"Out of my way." He said, voice deathly calm. His hand grabbed the front of Zack's shirt, and he slammed the younger man against the shelves and out of his way. Books toppled down onto Zack's un-shielded head. "I'm going to see my mother.

Zack blinked rapidly, staring at his back as he vanished out of sight. His mind tried to put together everything so as he could re-view it, but the once solid explanation he had had a moment ago had vanished in an instant. He slowly lifted one of the books off from his lap, opening up to the page it had fallen upon. He hardly noticed the page missing, blankly reading the entry about the experiments placed upon humans. He shook the thing a little, feeling fear finally catch up to him causing him to tremble. Shaking his head he flipped to the front of the book, looking for the name of the journals owner.

Gast. Zack sighed, fingers playing at the place where the leather was stapled down into the cover of the book. He frowned slowly, watching his finger wander along the edge of the leather. Usually there was something to hide the staples. Not on this one. He didn't understand why. And why did it fold to the inside of the novel?

He flipped to the back, where he saw the usual gold fixture holding and hiding the leather.

__

How odd. He though blankly, flipping to the front again. His fingers tugged at the leather._ Has to be a reason for it. Maybe…_

With a rip that tore up the books cover, the leather slipped off. From between the brown hide and black cover came tumbling a scrap of paper. Cocking his head to the side, feeling drowsy, he skimmed through its contents. Suddenly he chocked on air and had to re-read the whole page.

"X year, X month, X day- A child has been born, and his life is thanks to the Jenova project. We hope that his coming into the world will bring new answers for Shinra and for the world. The child will be named Sephiroth. The mother has already become very attacked to the child. I regret to say we were forced to take it from her. If any of the plans she had for him were accomplished, the purpose of his birth may be forgotten. The father, and Professor, thought it best to separate the mother from child after its birth. Hojo has taken it away from his wife. Now only to figure out what to do with the woman, then the child."

Zack's eyes grew larger, if that were at all possible.

__

Child of…Hojo? Hojo and who?! He re-read the page, over and over before crumpling it and throwing it in frustration. Nothing about the mother. But the father…

"then…He wasn't created like he thinks!" He explained. He jumped to his feet. "Sephir-"

But Sephiroth had long sense left the basement. Zack swore. "Dammit!"

He broke into a run, racing out of the lab and the corpse hall, up the stairway. If Sephiroth was going to see Jenova, and if that look in his eyes meant anything at all, Zack know the outcome wouldn't be good.

As his feet hit the solid upper story of the mansion he could feel a sudden change of tempter that had never been there before. He could hear people screaming and something roaring outside. He glanced at the chair once occupied by a guard. No one sat there now, but blood stained the ground, and the window's hole was much larger now. Zack swallowed and ran out of the room, careful not to slip on the blood.

And as he skidded to a halt at the top of the stairs, peering through the mucky windows facing the village, his eyes widened. Black only half an hour or so ago, the ancient glass was filled with a red glow.

"Oh no…" He moaned, and raced down the rickety old stairway. His hand reached the door before the rest of him, and he yanked at the doorknob. The door flung back quickly, causing Zack to side step in order to avoid its backwards plunge. He ran straight out into the chaos that Nibleheim has become.

Besides the burning buildings and the heat of the flames, Zack noticed that Cloud was missing from his post. Zack swore, tears threatening to takeover his sight. _Oh no. If anything happened to him- if he's dead-_

He didn't want to even think of that. Quick as his feet would carry him, Zack raced across the gravel path, towards the small stairway going down into the village. Reaching the topmost step, Zack put all his strength behind him as he crouched and leaped the stairs.

He landed and rolled once he was on the other side. His eyes frantically looked about.

"Hey!" A voice called. Zack's eyes snapped in the direction of the speaker. Zangan, the old martial arts expert. "Hey it's you! You're still sane, right?"

"Yeah!" Zack called, feeling a little dizzy. The heat was overpowering him.

"Then come over here and help me! I'll check this house. You check that one over there!" He called. Zack nodded, going in the direction of Clouds mothers house. He kicked open the door, hoping what he found would be good news-

But he couldn't even get inside farther then the welcome mat- which has burst into flames. He faced back out, coughing and shaking his head. Clouds mother…

"Terrible... Sephiroth... This is too terrible…" He whispered. But just as he finished a moan caught his attention.

"Cloud!" He yelled, racing towards the fallen blue suited guard. He grabbed the boys hand, watching him tremble in pain. The boy gasped, rolling onto his side as if trying to roll away from the pain. He was only faced with more horror as he watched the flames consume his home.

"Zack- Mom- Tifa-"

He heard him sob. Zack gritted his teeth, feeling the tears of fear turn into tears of sympathy. He flung his arms around his hurting friend.

"Sorry, Cloud." He whispered. Cloud just trembled in his grip.

But neither were allowed a moment long, for laughter turned both heads. Zack glanced at Cloud. The boy looked frightened.

"Sephiroth! Come on Cloud." Zack whispered, standing and dragging Cloud up with him. The boy walked a few steps, before stumbling on account of his guard helmet. Zack cursed the thing and pulled it off his head, shoving it into the boys hands.

As they both made it to the stairway, they could make out the silver gleam of Sephiroth's sword and hair. Screams followed the flashes of silver. Two thuds followed. Cloud leaned heavily into Zack. Zack held him closely, not willing to let him fall, nor take his eyes off Sephiroth. "Sephiroth!" He yelled, glaring. "Enough!"

The man turned his attention to the two younger soldiers, a grin crawling up his face. He continued to laugh for a moment, before turning and walking for the mountains. The flames consumed his back and body…

But soon Cloud and Zack saw the man walk, unharmed, up the mountain path.


	45. Beginning of a Nightmare?

Zack had piled the story on Cloud, as he carried/dragged the boy through the mountains. He left nothing out. Well… Nothing but the book and the piece about Hojo. That he kept to himself. It wouldn't do for Cloud to know this piece about Sephiroth. If he could talk the general out of this mad rage, he didn't want to sink him right back into it by Cloud's slipping up and saying something. That wouldn't help Zack's health any, either.

__

So its best to keep it to yourself, he had thought.

They had left the burning town immediately. Zangan had said that the general had called for Shinra help days ago, after the group returned from the reactor visit. They should have been arriving soon enough to get the fires under control. Why not follow Zack's plan and go after Sephiroth? Actually, thinking back on it, Zack remembered seeing headlights in the distance as they disappeared down the mountain pass.

The moon was low in the sky, and light was starting to creep into the blue. Zack swore. Had they taken to long to get through the mountains? No. No, that couldn't have been it.

"Less then an hour." Cloud told the black haired man, reading his thoughts like any telepath could.

Zack blinked, turning from the reactor to fix his gaze on the little blond. He looked exhausted, worried, and in pain. His blue suit had seen better days, though under the grim, scorch marks, blood stains, and whatever else clung to the fabric, Zack couldn't make out when. His eyes went to Cloud's upper arm, which the boy clutched with his left hand. Though it was still very dark, the flickering light from the reactor gave off enough light for Zack to make out the crimson liquid seeping through Clouds grasp.

Zack swore and started to climb down towards him, but the boy shook his head, holding out his hand and taking a step back. Zack could now make out the large wound that was under Clouds pale hands.

"Cloud, why didn't you-" The man started, but again Cloud shook his head.

"Because we had to hurry. Zack, Tifa is in there, and-"

Zack swore again and raced up the stairs. Tifa! How the hell could he have forgotten about her!

"Zack!" He stopped dead in his tracks, skidding across the medal just a little, before his hand hit the door. "Zack…don't let her get hurt, please?"

Zack turned his head to look over at his friend. He nodded. "I wont. Just stay out here and let me take care of this."

The blond nodded, his hair long sense fallen out of their spikes. With a sigh of slight relief, and feeling very alone suddenly, Zack forced a smile and pushed open the door.

The stench of mako, faintly like chlorine, washed over him. He tried hard not to gag. The scent could be so overpowering. Slowly he closed the door, getting a soft click to confirm it was closed. Slowly he walked along the metal platform, hand not daring to touch the rusted and slightly green railing on both sides. He made his way to the end, squinting in the darkness, getting only a little light from yet another flickering lamp on the ceiling, and the red and blue lights fixed above levers and valves.

The inside of the reactor was never made for visitors, only the Shinra employed. He hated getting around in this mess. Pipes, ladders, chains, and boards were about the only way to get down to the pods. He glanced over the edge of a old, slippery, pipe line, down into the depths of the reactor. A faint green glow came from the bottom.

But his eyes did not stay on the mako for long. He heard faint sobbing from somewhere. It clawed at his mind, screaming something at him. He didn't know what. Green eyes darting about quickly, and it didn't take him to long to find the source of the sobs.

Bathed in a faint orange glow, coming from deeper inside this devils contraption, was Tifa, he slim body trembling.

And next to her…A body?

He stepped no closer to the edge, fearing to fall, but he couldn't see the person well enough to tell who it was, if he had even met them at all.

He didn't have to, actually, for his answer came soon enough.

"papa…" Came her faint whisper, her voice dripping with pain and sorrow. A mumble, almost escaping Zack's ears, came after.

"Sephiroth!?" It wasn't the same soft, sad, whisper that Tifa had let escape her lips seconds before. This was a screech, one that startled Zack. It sent the boy stepping back a few inches, eyes wide. _Oh no…Not this. Sephiroth…_

"Sephiroth did this to you, didn't he!?" Tifa's voice raged on. Zack swallowed, finding himself rooted to where he stood. His mind wanted to go to her, to comport her, but his body refused to budge. "Sephiroth... SOLDIER... Mako Reactors... Shinra... Everything! I hate them all!"

"No…" He whispered, finding no voice, only a croak, as Tifa plucked up the masamune and raced into the orange light, and towards Jenova's cell.

"No!" He yelled, snapping back to himself. He let out a stream of curses, racing now along the pipe and towards the chains that hung down to the lower level. His hands gripped them before the rest of him got there, and he climbed and fell down them, only to land with a slight crash onto the metal platform. His feet pounded against the metal. He could hardly hear the door swing open behind him, but it never even occurred to him that maybe the door was being opened by something from the outside.

__

Sephiroth is in there! I promised Cloud that I wouldn't let her get hurt!

He almost jumped into the next section of the reactor, his eyes watching Tifa as she raced up the stairs towards Sephiroth. The mans back was turned to her, and he was so focused on what he was doing he never noticed.

"Mother, I'm here to see you. Please, open this door." He said, voice sounding soft and soothing, coaxing whatever it was on the other side of the door to do as he wished.

Tifa let out a frustrated cry.

"How could you do that to papa and all the townspeople?!" She screamed, raising the masumane.

"Tifa! No!" Zack yelled, running towards the steps.

It didn't matter now. He couldn't reach her in time to protect her. Sephiroth laughed, eyes no longer sane as they glistened with hate and amusement. The blade was ripped from Tifa's grasp, and with a scream the young girl was flying backwards through the air. Zack's eyes widened. Sephiroth grinned, turning from the girls body as she slammed off the floor, the tip of his blade bathed in blood.

Hate flared up in Zack, and the pain of breaking a promise. But he'd get even, if only for Cloud and Tifa's sake.

He raced to the girls body, taking her in his hands as a parent may take a newborn child, lifting her slowly from the ground. She didn't move, her chest hardly rose with each struggled breath. Blood spilled from her body, staining her white shirt crimson.

__

Out cold… Zack though, as he placed her against one of the pods, brushing long locks of bring hair from her face. _Please don't make it permanent._

He bit his bottom lip uncertainly, pained by the fact that he could do nothing to help her. Not right now. With a growl of frustration he shoved himself back to his feet, drawing the Buster Sword and racing up the stairs.


	46. Another Battle in Vain

The room before was a red color, but this room was bathed in blue, from top to bottom, and everything in between. It would have been breathtaking, on any other circumstance. Large vents were set into the walls and ceilings. Large wound lights shedding blue accompanied them. Endless pipes about the side of his fist and growing to his head littered the room here and there.

And all ran from the very center of the room, where a pillar of blue was being guarded by an angel.

Or what might have been an angel. Zack couldn't be sure. It _looked_ a lot like an angel. What seemed to be wings of metal came from the sides of a cyber looking woman If she had been human, she may have been pretty, but this machine, which Zack was positive that's what this was, only gave him chills.

Or would have, if rage had not melted them all away.

"Mother, let's take this planet back together. I've thought of a great idea. Let's go to the Promised Land." Came Sephiroth's horrible, coaxing, voice up ahead, standing on a pipe in front of the winged woman.

"Sephiroth!" Zack screamed, placing his sword between him and the man, "How could you do this to everyone?! Their families, their home!" Hate was spread thick over Zack's usually calm and smiling face. It would have been a frightening sight to many, but Sephiroth didn't even turn to look at him.

Didn't even speak to him ,when he replied.

"Ha, ha, ha...... They've come again, mother." The general whispered. "With her superior power, knowledge, and magic, Mother was destined to become the ruler of the Planet."

Zack gritted his teeth, trying hard to keep from losing his temper and just attacking this man.

"But they…" Sephiroth whispered, moving closer to the machine. "Those worthless creatures are stealing the Planet from Mother."

He laughed slightly, hands raising to touch the woman's face. "But now I'm here with you so don't worry."

With a violent yank, the grinding of metal on metal, the scream and strain of tubes and pipes coming undone, the man ripped the roman from her place. From her face came spilling a golden liquid, flying about her as the metal case was flung aside.

Zack let out a angry growl. "What about my sadness?!" He screamed, "What about Clouds?! Tifa's?! Their family... friends... The sadness of having their hometown taken away from them!? It's the same as your sadness!" He yelled. "But they haven't gone mad like you!"

Sephiroth turned his head slightly, grinning. "Ha, ha, ha... my sadness?," He asked, laughter playing in his voice. _He's amused…_ Zack thought._ Why is he amused?!_ "What do I have to be sad about? I am the chosen one. I have been chosen to be the leader of this Planet. I have orders to take this planet back from you stupid people for the Cetra. What am I supposed to be sad about?"

"I trusted you!" Zack screamed. The silver haired man rolled his eyes, turning away from him and back to Jenova. "Sephiroth... I trusted you... No, you're not the Sephiroth I used to know!"

He picked back up his fighting stance, not sure what exactly he was doing. This was it. Surly this would be his end.

The general merely turned to him, looking bored.

"You don't expect to fight me, do you?"

"I will if I have to." Zack said. "Your doing this for all the wrong reasons. You're a hazard to everyone, Sephiroth. If you wont stand down, I'll make you."

Sephiroth chuckled. "Do you hear him, mother?" He asked, starting to turn again to Jenova.

"She isn't your mother!" Zack screamed. This stopped Sephiroth dead.

"What?" The man asked, turning to Zack. "He is accusing you of lying, mother-"

"your mother is a Shinra scientist! Hojo is your father! You were used-"

"Shut up!" Sephiroth yelled, lifting his hand up, palm facing Zack. The man felt his body trying to tear away from him. With a gasp of pain which drew in no air, he felt himself being lifted from the ground and-

And flying through the air which he had tried to take in. Fast. To fast. His fingers lost grip on his blade, and seconds after he slammed against the wall of the reactor. Pain shot through every piece of him, as his body pushed off the wall to fall with just as much force against a pod.

Somewhere, Zack could hardly remember to breath so it was twice as difficult to pinpoint the location of the voice, Sephiroth spoke-

"That's just like you, to take matters into your own hands.". His mind swam with so many thoughts. Pain dominated them. He heard something slip closed, guessed it to be the door to Jenova's cell, and his eyes were taken over by a gray film. He trembled, moaning in his pain, and tried to push himself up. Fire shot up his spine. With a loud gasp and whimper he fell back again.

"Zack!"

His thoughts drifted away from him. The voice echoed endlessly in his head, just as he felt himself drop from consciousness for a moment, only to jolt back into it. His head turned slowly, very slowly but still so painfully, so he could peer out half closed eyes at Cloud's back as he examined Tifa's motionless body. He swore, his words mingled with pain and hate.


	47. Lonely

He felt tears forming in his eyes. Felt them slip down his cheeks to sink into the dust and grime under his feet. Silently Cloud closed his eyes and turned his head away, ashamed at his own speed to get into the reactor and help.

__

'But Zack told you to stay put!' something inside him screamed. Despite is volume, Cloud still ignored that sensible voice. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. Tifa could die- Zack could die- and it would be all his fault.

__

'all my fault. If only I had been just a little faster in getting in here!' The blond slammed his fist onto the ground, trembling from head to toe in rage. He could he have been so foolish.

"Mother, come- We will take the planet back together…"

Cloud jerked his head up suddenly, the cruel but soft voice of the General drifting through his self-pity and pain. No. Sephiroth wasn't the general anymore. He was the enemy.

His soft blue eyes fell on Tifa, bloody and beaten, her breath coming in short, thin intakes that were hardly noticeable. Maybe if he couldn't save her- if he couldn't have moved any faster-

He spun around, rising as he did so, snatching up Zack's fallen sword. It was heavy in his hands, but one to many practice sessions with Ivy has gotten him used to its unusual weight. Lifting it from the ground he dashed towards Jenova's chamber.

Every thought, every movement, every breath was swiftly drawn from his body. His only thought was rage. Rage and revenge. He would not let Sephiroth get away with this. He refused to let him get away with this. First his home, then Tifa, then the only person who had ever been his friend- if he lost them all he would make sure Sephiroth wouldn't forget it, or the world forgot Sephiroth.

He didn't even realize what he had done until it was finished with. The Buster sword, its bulky blade driven into Sephiroth's body, the silver haired man kneeling in front of him, hands trying desperately to dislodge the blade from where Cloud had pushed it through.

"Aaarrrgh...…"

He gasped, green eyes for the first time filled with a sudden fear. His head jerked up to look at the guard in blue.

"Mom…"Cloud hissed through clenched teeth, gripping the swords hilt tighter. He sunk the blade a little deeper into Sephiroth's side, glaring from behind the helmet. "Tifa... my town... give it back!"

With a foul gasp of pain, the one hero worshiped general manage to gasp out "who... who are you?"

Cloud shook still, but managed to yank the blade from Sephiroth's body. His eyes filled with tears. All those things he had thought this man was-

"I had so much respect for you... I admired you…" He snapped, fighting a sob. Were all the tales lies? No. They couldn't have been. Sephiroth was just horrible inside. All the stories of his brave efforts in the war. All the tales of how he saved villages full of people, and how is men always trusted him- those were true. But it was just for fame and glory it seemed. Just for something to attach to his name. For the money Shinra dished out.

For his duty to Midgar and Shinra. Never for himself. If it was-

Those people would have died, as Cloud was dying inside.

He turned from Sephiroth, who almost coward under his eyes. He would let him die. He wouldn't finish it quickly for him. Let Sephiroth suffer and die. Let him feel what Cloud felt. Let him know this was how so many others experienced their ends just the evening before. Let him feel weak.

Cloud yanked off his helmet, sweat soaked hair plastered to his head. His eyes stared down at the blue item, his mind screaming. He shook his head, feeling the tears roll down his cheeks, dropping to splatter like his dreams onto the smooth, glossy surface of the helmet. So much like his dreams. Perfect and beautiful and flawless on the outside-

He dropped the helmet, walking back towards the first chamber, pulling off his gloves as he did so. He wanted nothing more to do with Shinra..

But just as the helmet was like his dreams, reality was hidden behind it. Shinra made the helmet. Shinra lied to him and so many people. Shinra sent death to his home, not hope. Not a hero. Reality destroyed all he ever had. Shinra destroyed all he had ever had.

He shook his head, trying to stop the flow of pain from his eyes. He needed to keep his head in the here and now. He couldn't slip into his tears.

And the moment his eyes caught sight of Tifa, everything was erased. His mind flew only to helping her. He rushed to her side, dropping Zack's blade out of the way, his hands swiftly wrapping about Tifa's motionless body. He lifted her gently, eyes on her frightened and strained face.

__

'If I had only made it into SOLDIER, none of this would have happened. If I wasn't so stupid as to go off and join SOLDIER , this never would have happened to you. If only…'

He swallowed hard, leaning her body up against the wall of the reactor, kneeling next to her. His hand brushed away strands of her dark chocolate hair, pushed the locks behind her ear.

__

'I'm sorry Tifa…I couldn't keep…Our promise…'

Cloud's eyes watched her face for a moment more, before they were torn from her to glance behind him. Shuffling feet on a dirty floor-

And Sephiroth emerged from the depths of the blue sheltered room. One hand gripped the masumane, dragging the blade along the floor. He limped, face screwing up in pain with every step. Cloud just watched him, eyes wide. How could Sephiroth even manage to walk after what he had done?

Sephiroth didn't even look at him as he limped by, but Cloud knew better then to think himself invisible. Sephiroth had always known everything that went on in a room. He had to know that Cloud was there. Cloud watched him a moment longer, just long enough to see him limp out towards the next section, and then he'd be at the door and-

__

'He's be free!' He couldn't let that happen. Cloud scrambled for his sword, running towards the door. Towards Sephiroth. But if the man could still walk, he could still use that sword of his. What if Cloud suddenly was going to be used as a new sheath?

"C-…Cl…" Cloud stopped his train of thought, eyes jerking to his right. Zack was trying to sit up, slowly, but he only gasped and fell back down. His face was scrunched up in pain. "Cloud…Kill…kill Sephiroth…"

And that made up his mind, pushing all his fears away. He'd do that. It was the least he could do. He'd avenge Zack. And Tifa. And all the people in his town. His mother.

He lifted the Buster Sword higher, racing into the next section of the reactor, stepping over the dead body of Mr. Lockhart.

"Sephiroth!"

The soldier stopped, and now Cloud could see clearly what he had been carrying in his other hand.

A severed head. The head of Jenova.

He didn't even have time to tremble or have fleeting thoughts. Suddenly Sephiroth's blade was a blur of silver in front of him, then jammed under his arm, pressed close enough against his uniform and body that if the young man sunk down just a hair he'd bleed.

He had meant to miss. If he had meant to strike-

"Don't-" Hissed Sephiroth, eyes full of fire-"Push-Your Luck."

Cloud swallowed. How was he going to get out of this?

__

'Kill Sephiroth…'

His hands grabbed the blade of the masamune. He watched as his own blood danced on the blades surface. He shook with pain and fear suddenly, but willed himself to move the blade, to push it from him. Sephiroth was weak-

"..it…It cant be-" Sephiroth whispered. Cloud ignored him. Ignored the pain in his hands. Ignored his sorrow. Ignored everything but Zack's words. He's do that for the raven haired man. Zack had done so much for him. Just the little things more then outweighed this request of Sephiroth's death. Just the little things. He'd fulfill Zack's request. He'd do it for the simple little moments. For all the moments. For all the smiles. If Sephiroth caused that to be taken away, Cloud was more then happy to have Sephiroth suffer as Cloud would.

With a cry, and a gasp from Cloud, Sephiroth suddenly was swung towards the edge of the thin walkway. His cry as he fell filled Cloud's head, and all the strength he had consumed to hold the blade and push Sephiroth into the mako bellow, and all the strength he had used to block his pain, died. His body filled with mixed feelings. Anguish , both internal and external, consumed him. He felt sick and weak all at once. The room spun from all that was happened. He just wanted to-

__

'I did it, Zack…'

He fell to his knees, then forward more, a gray film consuming his vision, the room spinning.

__

'don't…don't die, please…don't let me die…life…things have gotten so horrible now…but…I just want to sleep. I just want to dream. Dream of everything that has happened…Remember all those little moments…everyone's smiles…'

And as his eyes slipped closed, he saw a blur of purple and red rushing towards him. His first and last thought, before all freedom and thoughts of anything but pain were tosses away, was that this was Death. Death, coming to whisk him away to a place where he would never suffer from anything ever again. And as his dropped out of consciousness, he wished desperately that if this was his end, Zack and Tifa would join him in the sweet pleasure of a paradise. He didn't want them to suffer, and he didn't want to be lonely.


	48. One Wish

We sat for five years in that hell.

What hell?

Shinra nabbed us. The bastards. I can hardly remember, being hardly conscious- but they grabbed us and hauled us off to the village. The only building I that whole town that didn't burn was the mansion. No signs of damage at all. Something pricked my arm and-

And…I couldn't remember what happened. I think weeks went by, or maybe it was just days, where I couldn't even move. The pain was immense. I cant even begin to describe it. And Cloud-

Poor…poor little Cloud. I thought he was dead. He was a mess. The very hell I had sent him through. I want his forgiveness…

Please forgive me…

Five years went by, now that I look back on it. Five years of nothing. Five years I would give anything to have back…

Or even one day. Of any of this. Just one moment to beg for forgiveness.

To apologize to Cloud, and all the hell I sent him through.


	49. Time Ticks By

He had lost track of time so long ago. To long for it to even matter anymore. Day in and day out, just like all the others. How long had they been there?

It didn't matter any longer. All the mattered was just giving up.

And even suicide was beyond his grasp. Here, locked inside this green chamber, filled with gases and drugs. Sometimes he wondered if he was actually himself, or if he was drugged to his ears. And he typically realized, without realizing, that it was the drugs. Though Zack was resistant to them, it didn't do much good. He was still well aware of everything he did, still certain he was carving something into the thin glass of the test tubes, still aware of the floating body in the tube beside him- but it was all vague. Absentminded. As if he were still half asleep.

He wished he were asleep. A nightmare. That's all this had to be.

But the needles shoved into his flesh- the scratches that the pen made when the doctor rubbed it against that harsh paper- all of it was to vivid- in such a blank way- to ever be a dream.

__

'feeding time…that's our chance…'

He scratched the words carefully, numbly, into the glass with his nails. It was hardly visible, but Zack was positive Cloud could see it. If he didn't-

Well, the blond didn't really need to. Zack would get them out. The both of them. Seeing his best friends body, laying limply against the walls of the tube, head down and eyes shut, broke Zack's heart. He had drug him to this. He had insisted Cloud come along. He had taken him from a safe life- a good life- with Ivy. The woman could have protected him. Zack was positive of that. So…

So why did he drag him away? He hated himself for the very idea. His fingers curled about his shorter, limper hair. It hadn't been up in its spikes for so long. It was funny- but Zack felt that that was a part of him missing. Here, caged away, Zack Flame was nothing but a memory. A vague, useless memory of a person that was. This creature, this thing he hardly recognized when he caught his reflection in the glass, had replaced him.

__

'I suppose smiles were a limited recourse and I game them all away…Where are all my happy faces? All of Clouds? Thieves, the lot of them. The only thing left in this life for us was one happy moment, and they stole them. Damn them all! I'll kill them-every one if I have to- or die trying.'

Rage filled him. How could they do this to them? Why were they doing this? He didn't understand it!

His fingers gripped the once silken strands of black hair, yanking hard, his face screwed up in anger. Why? Why? He'd stop it. He'd fix it. He'd see one last smile on Clouds face, and his own, if it meant it would be the very last thing he saw.

That would make it all the more grand.

His head jerked up suddenly, sending shocks down his spine. He had heard voices. Footsteps. That damn stairway, spiraling down into this basement hell. Hojo and his little lackeys, come to shove another pin in him. Come to break him.

His eyes shifted over to Cloud, who looked quite dead in his little cell. His chest hardly moved with every breath- sometimes Zack wondered if he were dead. He had thrown a fit or two before, nearly shattering the glass, trying to get to him. Hojo, most likely, had scribbled down sings of insanity on his reports.

He'd give them all insanity. He'd laugh as he killed them all. One by one. Tell them all how wonderful it felt to finally see his pain dying away. To see hell being whisked away to be replaced by heavenly bliss.

He'd show them all…

A light cut across the floor. It never reached him, though. It never did. Not even on the brightest of days, or when the lights were all on. It just was a little to short to hit him. He couldn't breath it in- couldn't feel it. That was something he missed. Light. Real light. Real dawns. The rain. The air.

Fresh air. Not this artificial stuff drenched in drugs. He choked on it every day. He couldn't remember fresh air.

__

'I wonder if Cloud can…'

He was surprised to see only one shadow moving across the floor. He had sworn there were two voices…

Then again, that hall and stairway echoed a great deal…That, or maybe the professor has taken a detour. There were usually needles to be accompanying their meals.

'At feeding time…That's our chance…'

His eyes glanced again at Cloud, who had hardly moved at all.

__

'Yes…Finally…I'll get out us of here, Cloud.'


	50. As Good As Dead

The hand that rapped on the glass made hate course through him. His head pounded as the sound vibrated through the tube.

"Hey!" Zack let his eyes peer open just a tad more then they were originally, seeing the blue suited man thought a small slit. He looked gruff, not so handsome, and the very image of boredom and cruelty. Zack had seen him many times. In fact, he had seen him every day sense he had been in the God forsaken place. He had to stop himself from smiling, despite the ache in his body. Now he would get payback. "This is your food!"

__

Free at last. Sweet dreams. Body filled with glee, a giddy sort of energy and a grave sense of duty, the door to the tube swung back and Zack let his fist collide with the mans face. Pain stung his hand where his fist had collided, but the satisfaction he got from seeing the body reel and fall to the floor made him happy. For the first time in years he felt good. Free, though he was very much still a prisoner.

the stench of the lab smacked him full force. He stumbled back in his test tube prison for a moment, but manage to laugh despite his swimming head. _fuck. _He thought, clamping his eyes shut and holding onto the side of the tube. The air was tight and suffocating down in this hell, despite the cold. It was just as horrid smelling as the tube he had made his home for the last 5 years- only he had grown on the tube. Being out in the stench of the lab day after day didn't prepare him for this. The doctor usually drugged him. He wasn't drugged now.

He let his eyes, their childish energy restored, move to Clouds test tube slowly, realizing that his friend, too, was not drugged. The blonds body was now a limp and tangled mass, shoved against the glass and looking as if it would turn to dust in the faintest movement. He hadn't looked so frail a moment before. Maybe it was the fact that Zacks vision was no longer clouded by green mist and gray glass that he could now fully see and comprehend Clouds condition.

His eyes clamped shut and he took a rattling breath to try and steady his head and organize his thoughts before he leapt from the test tube and rushed to the door of Clouds. stepping over the body of the Turk dressed guard, he nearly fell to the cement. His body was wobbling horribly.

Hands pressed to the glass, he gave himself a moment to peer in on his best friend- his only real friend in the world. To look so weak and fragile, so helpless in this place, made everything inside Zacks body grow tight and hot. Rage gripped him and a thirst for revenge seemed to flow along with it, but if he went to seek revenge both young men would be as good as dead. They had been that way for 5 years. He didn't like that idea. He didn't want that for Cloud.

"I said I'd get you out…" He whispered to his friend behind the glass, watching him hang there for a moment more before he put on the best smile he could muster and hit the lock. different safety locks released themselves in the panels about the glass and he let moved away to examine the room. That was one less worry. Now that Cloud could get free he no longer felt the need to avenge him- just get him away.

Spicy green eyes met the shine of his weapon, resting on a lonely shelf on a back wall. "Oh phew." He whispered, dashing for it only to stumble and nearly fall a second time. He hadn't ran in so long it felt as if he could never manage again- but his body remembered how to run. It remembered how to function, and he didn't lose his balance and hit the cement floor of the basement like he had been expecting he would. His mind, for a brief moment, flickered to the thought of his body in a tube for 5 years- for he knew well every day he had been locked in that Hell- and that he may not be able to even lift his blade anymore.

His mind thought too late, as Zacks hands had already grabbed the sword and hefted it from the rack it sat upon. The weight strained his muscles, but only for a moment. His body again was reminded of what it was capable, and accepted the weight willingly once it realized that Zack once again held his Buster Sword.

A loud thud sounded behind the man, and his head shot around to see Cloud collapsed on the floor. His heart tugged and bled for his friend as he watched him helplessly struggle to get up and fail miserably. Tiny like a child, Cloud shivered and twisted, propping himself up on his elbows only to come crashing back to the floor. Again Cloud tried, and managed a gurgle before he again failed to control his body and movements.

"Oh, Cloud…" Zack whispered, shaking his head. "If this is permanent I-I'll never forgive myself for dragging you into this. I swear I'll kill that bastard if you're damage for good." He licked his lips only to taste a sickening flavor, one he never wanted to have to suffer with again. It reminded him of his life, that action and the taste he got. A simple action- breathing and living- and you get a sickening feeling and flavor. At least, though, he could manage an action. Life wasn't over yet. Not now.

His eyes scanned the shelving unit for something to fasten his sword to his back with, and he found the same item he had used before he was thrown into the mess. A weary smile graced his face as he thanked the Planet that Hojo had not thrown any of his belongings to the Shinra. That made things easier. He quickly discovered his armguard, though all the materia had been confiscated and sent away.

Maybe things we're so much easier after all, but that no longer mattered once a small moan escaped the fallen guard. Zack chewed on his bottom lip. They were running out of time, and he would waste it all away if he didn't get moving.

"Oh, hell." He croaked, rushing back to Cloud, mind still a spinning mess. If they got caught now it would all be over. Everything he had hung onto would be gone for good. _He_ would be gone for good, and so wouldn't Cloud and his life. Zack wasn't about to have that. He couldn't have that, not for Cloud. Not for the only man who ever managed to try to care. Ivy would kill him, too. And he had Fox and her fight to think about. They wouldn't want Cloud dead, or even him.

He grabbed the boy under the arm, swinging Clouds arm about his shoulder. The boy let out a moan and tried to grab hold of Zack, or his shirt, or anything at all, but his body just collapsed. Zack tried hard not to let a tear of pain fall down his cheek. Right now his friend was as good as dead. He'd kill Hojo.

"common Cloud." Zack whispered, lifting the blond up and starting to half carry, half drag, him to the basement stairway. "We're going to get out of here."

Note: Would any of you believe me if I said I had writers block…?-.-;;


	51. Hell and Dropping?

I guess, at this point, there is little I can say or do to change the course of time. Even now, by explaining all this and showing you all of this I am merely trying to lift the weight of the past off from someone's shoulders, and perhaps gain him more respect. More sympathy, maybe, though I am positive he wouldn't want that now. A little empathy.

It was cold then. A cold, coarse sort of day. Not winter, not fall. I think it was the end of summer, maybe. I cannot remember it. Not that it mattered at all anyway. We were lucky it wasn't winter. We left no tracks for us to have for evidence as to where we were heading.

Cloud…

Cloud was in a state of shock. Some sort of sickness that I didn't understand. I couldn't get him help. We couldn't enter towns. We couldn't stay on the roads for long. Shinra was looking for us. All I managed to escape with was an extra uniform and my blade. I couldn't grab anything for Cloud. There wasn't any time, and he couldn't have kept it in hand even if I did mange to get him a gun, or something else.

So we walked. We walked as far as I could drag Cloud, occasionally getting him to walk a step or two on his own. We stayed out of sight the best we could.

It was Hell.


	52. Hope Is Lost

"Cold, isn't it?" Zack asked his companion, tossing another branch lazily into the fire. He sat with one knee drawn half way to his chest, the second leg crossed under that. His arm rested atop his knee. in front of him flames danced like maidens, swallowing up all that they could.

It amused Zack a little, how much alike the flames were to dancers in Midgar. Or women in general, who were willing to do anything for a spec of coin. Like the flames willing to dance and keep him warm for a little wood to feed their hungry arms. He smiled to himself, shaking his head. Such thoughts led him to misery now. He didn't need that. Not now.

A groan from across the fire drew him completely from his thoughts to focused on the present. A little blond head was nodding and twitching, trying desperately to get something under control.

Zacks heart pulled for the young man. How old was he now? How old was Zack?21. That was it. Cloud was 21 now. How old was he?

A second groan caused Zack to force a cheerful laugh and stand, grabbing the somewhat gritty blanket he had been using as a pack up off from the ground. "I'm going, I'm going. Jeez, Chocobo brains, you're a pushy fellow. 5 years in a test tube really does a lot for you, doesn't it?" He teased, walking over to his friend.

The boy was a mess. Boy? No, now he was a young man. 21, Zack thought as he slumped down onto the ground next to Cloud, pulling the blanket up about their bodys. Cloud was 21.

Zack laughed a little. "Well, a late happy birthday to you Cloud." He said, grinning a bit and watching the fire. "21. Hell, I've missed a few years. Doesn't feel it though. You know, I think that loon in the labs did something to the injections we were getting. I don't feel any older then when we were tossed into that place. Everything is just the same. How I feel, act, my body. Yeah. Had to have had something strange in those fucked chemicals. Whatcha think?"

"Ah-ahh…ouahh…" Was about all the answer Zack ever got from the young man, and that moment was no acceptation. He again got the moaning of the young man. Zack felt tears willing to spill from his eyes at that moment. Was Cloud damaged? Mentally damaged?

"Hah! Yup, knew you would agree!" The black haired man said, ruffling his friends hair and peering out into the night.

It was a forest, thick and dark save for this tiny little clearing. Zack prayed that there was no one nearby. There shouldn't have been. This was the middle of nowhere. Then again, they were fairly close to Costa Del Sol, and thus close to ships and Shinra. Who knew what was waiting for them

Not to mention the monsters. Zack sighed and closed his eyes, leaning against the little blond for support and warmth. He was dead tired, and yet he'd wake up tomorrow and still walk on. He had to. He wasn't going to just give up Clouds life. He wanted the boy to have something. Anything. And he himself was not ready to die.

Not yet, at least, but Zack was sure he was getting there. He wouldn't trust anyone else with Cloud, though. He felt, almost, that no one else could understand.

__

A selfish thought if ever I had one, Zack said to himself_. Stop it flame, you need to be strong here._

"hope they have baths we can access on that ship. It'll be hell getting onto it without Shinra nabbing us, and even more so getting into decent accommodations. But with both need a good bath, and some clean clothing. You, at least. I can wait. I just don't want you stuck with a sweaty, muddy, crude dressed pig the whole way. You know, though, Shinra is kind of dumb. Maybe they wont notice us. Uniforms and everything. I mean, I wasn't that well know in SOLDIER. First class don't make you no ones hero." He laughed. "And you- a guard. Yeah, that's a heroic job if ever there was one. We do all the big work that the press sees- SOLDIER does- so as Shinra can get more recruits and say they have a huge army of these mass killing machines- but the lot of us, we're all pansies. Afraid to get dirt under our nails. You- you and your guard lot- you do the grunt work. You actually work, and patrol city streets and keep things calm and collected. People feel safe and invincible with SOLDIER around, but without the guards nothing would get done. Lucking thing about guards, too, is the helmets. You lost yours, though. Ah, we both always had our hair up anyway."

He laughed again, leaning his head on Clouds shoulder, letting the young man babble and moan and nod his head. He would keep talking. If it didn't help Cloud any, well, it certainly was helping him. "I miss that. I'm gana nick some gel or wax from someone and do it up again. After we get out of Junon. That place is crawling with goonies. Our hair is longer now, you noticed? We need to chop it, but not until we're out of the worst bits. Like the ship. No one will know who we are if we keep our hair long and down. If we can get you a helmet then even better. I look a lot like the Chris kid- another first class SOLDIER. So long as he didn't die, or isn't there, then we'll get by. I will, and so will you. I wont letcha down."

He smiled and sighed to himself, feeling a bit sorrowful down inside. The feeling kept growing, the more he talked. He wouldn't let that show. As far as he knew, and as much as he believed, Cloud was hurting inside too. His mind just was so fucked up that he couldn't tell. If he didn't know, and if Zack gave no hints, then maybe he never would know…

Was…that good? Zack didn't care right now. He and Cloud would sort it out one day. Some day soon.

Why did he feel like that day might never come at all?

"Hah. Look Cloud," Zack said suddenly, green glowing eyes alight with cheer as he nodded his head in the direction of the crystal clear sky. "Looks like Shiva has been dancing again. She left little diamonds from her dress behind. You ever hear that story?" He asked his friend. He got the typical reply. Zack grinned. "You know, I am in a fairly chatty mood tonight, friend of mine, so…" he slowly stood, shedding his blanket and wrapping it tighter around the twitching and moaning young man. Clouds beautiful eyes looked dead under his hair as they tried desperately to focused on Zack, or anything at all.

Zack frowned. On him? No. He had to be imagining it.

He hoped he wasn't.

"So, I'm going to tell you it anyway." He said wit ha grin, tipping his head back to stare at the bright lights high above them. He felt disconnected at that moment. As if he and Cloud were completely alone, and he was the only one awake in this dream world. A star somewhere above twinkled and shot across the sky.

__

Just like my last hope- burning bright and running away.


	53. Lucky Strike, But Luck Runs Out

He shivered as he looked around the large clearing. Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide out on this expanse of land. Rocks, a few shrubs and maybe a tree here or there, but not nearly enough to conceal anyone.

Two anyones actually. Zack sighed as he pulled the grubby blanket over he and Cloud, trying to shelter their heads from the rain. The reason wasn't because of the water drops pounding on their back- he welcomed them. They washed away some of the grime plastered to him. It wasn't because he detested the rain either. Be it any other day in any other condition he would have most likely stripped off his clothes right down to the shorts and ran about in the wet. It was chilling, though. the rain would surly not help Clouds condition any.

A sigh escaped his lips as he looked across the expanse again before he shifted his vision to the dusty road yards and yards away and back to the small forest. It had been years sense this stretch had last been crossed by him, but it felt like days. The whole incident in the Shinra lab felt like forever- and yet when he looked back on it, it appeared to be a only a string of boring nights.

"Best get going then, eh Cloudy?" He asked his friend. The blond shuddered and moaned, head tipping back. He was standing at that moment, but the moment didn't last long. Soon he found himself dropping to he ground. Zack grabbed the man, dragging him back up. "To hell if I'm going to carry you all this way. You need to help me out here pal." He muttered, slipping his arms around Cloud in an attempt to hold him up. "You're just too heavy for this trek."

And a trek it was. Long, grueling, and utterly exhausting. Zack did not remain true to his word- he did end up carrying the blond, enjoying the rain the most he could and cursing it all the while. The water sank into their clothing, causing Cloud to gain even more weight. Zacks arms were strained by the time he got to Costa Del Sol. If they had approached a vehicle- there was none- then the long walk would have lasted only a few hours at most. Both men would have been somewhat comfortable. Instead one shook and shivered and the other one rambled and cursed, stumbling and becoming more weary as the day progressed. They had set out after dawn some time- a few hours after at most. Now the sun was sinking behind the horizon as they approached their destination.

No SOLDIER. Not Shinra. No one to be found but children squealing and jumping in puddles, parents screaming at them to get inside before the caught cold. Zack could see them all from outside the small towns gates. He sat Cloud down then, collapsing next to his friend and a palm tree.

"Oh whoa." He muttered, breathing in deeply, tipping his head to the sky. Rain danced against his skin. He felt cleaner now, and was sure he had to have been. Any muck he carried had probably run to his clothing and boots(which, thankfully, he had been intelligent enough to grab before leaving the Shinra labs). "My arms are tingling. My head hurts too. Damn. I didn't think it was so far off, this place."

He closed his eyes against the gray cast sky, hopping to shut off the pounding and spinning in his head. No good. Slowly he took another breath, feeling Cloud tremble next to him. _Keep pushing, Flame. Keep breathing. Walking. Grinning. Talking. Anything. Cloud can hear you. You know he can. You saw that last night. His eyes- hell, he tried to look at me. I know he was trying to focused on me. He isn't broken. Dammit, no. He is not broken._

That thought repeated itself many times before Zack shoved himself from the ground reluctantly, just as night crept into the sky. He knew he was saying it over and over to convince himself of something he desperately wanted- needed- to believe. If he didn't, then there was no need to keep dragging Cloud along. He would die anyway, sooner or later. No. Zack had to believe his friend was okay. He was starting to see it now.

Carefully he picked up Cloud from the ground and nearly dropped him. He was too weak to keep carrying him. He had almost dumped the younger man into the mud a great many times during the long walk. The streets here were all tiled. To try and carry Cloud through this and manage to let him slip from his arms would end up a mess. Eyes tired, body screaming, Zack was forced to merely drag the wet moaning mess.

The children had returned to their homes then. Tourists went to their hotels. The only people wondering the streets were couples going to hide on the beach for some evening mischief. Zack paid them little mind, and they did the same in return. Lamps had already been turned on, burning bright in the steady downpour. Enchanting was the only word Zack could find to describe it. He smiled to himself. Cloud would have certainly agreed. He would describe the scene later to him. Laughing suddenly, Zack remembered something.

"Funny. Last time we were here it was raining too. So much for the Capital of Sunshine and women in bikinis, eh Cloudy my friend?"

Now, though ,was no time at all to think about that. They needed baths, and a place to stay. The only place to go was back to the Inn. The inn or the beach. "fuck it." He whispered, dragging Cloud towards the Inn. "so what if they find us. I'm not so tired that I cant take them. I'll buy a ship pass or something tonight. Found some coin on the way. Stole a bit of it too…but that was necessary. I'll nick more if I have to. Just if I have to. I hope you realize this is for you blondy." He teased, pulling his friend along. "Hope you know."

With that said- whispered, really - he picked open the door to the Inn. It was empty, save for the owner playing pool. His head didn't even turn to him. Suddenly Zack regretted coming in. The man was the same one from five years before. He clamped his eyes shut and wrinkled up his face, silently cursing himself, and began to back track-

He didn't get far.

"Ho! If it isn't SOLDIER!" the man declared aloud. He was still plump, though had thinned considerably. Still had a head of messy dark locks. Eyes were still wide and innocent seeming. Greed was not in any part of him it appeared- of course, Zack would believe that about anyone at that moment. "And- Goodness me."

"Play dumb, cloud." Zack whispered. "If he asks questions, deny anything. Everything." His reply was a moan, and Zack nodded taking it as an affirmative.

"Are you behind the other lot sonny?" The man asked, leaning on his pool stick. Zack blinked. "Other lot?" he asked slowly. The man nodded.

"Yes. There was a group that left here not two days ago, heading for somewhere. Rocket Town, maybe. Sounds bout right. Probably already there or something. I cannot believe you are behind."

"A-actually, sir…" Zack said slowly, trailing off. The man was bounding up the steps that led to the sunken pool room. "Well, uh. I mean- you see-"

"no trouble. Thought it was kind of fishy that SOLDIER would overpay. Then refuse to take the money back. Oh, fishy business indeed. They probably were expecting you then. Well, I can see why they didn't realize you were not coming. Probably thought you were still on a ship or being flown in- drunk, the lot of fools. Begging your pardon, sir."

Zack just blinked. _What is he talking about…?_ But slowly, slowly, it dawned on him. _Bless my luck and may it never run out. Shinra- the fools! SOLDIERS! I bet they were all young! Young and stupid and- drunk! Over paid! Oh, hell!_

Suddenly he burst out into laughter, hugging Cloud out of pure happiness. The Inn owner just stared at him like he was mad. "You hear that Cloud? Hah! They paid for us! The idiots- those blessed men! Saints! Fools! Hah!" He let out an inner sigh. One less thing to worry about. The night was good as thunder slammed beyond the warmth of the Inn. "Thank you. Thank you thank you thank you. Whoever is responsible- thank you."

****

Note: We kill stuff soon, I promise. -.-;; have a feeling the other chapters where people bashed things will be better then the next though. Riene-Became too reliant on you helping ;; So-improvise time.


	54. Digging Graves

Ships were always slinking in and out of Costa Del Sol- They had no choice, really. Shinra funded the stores on the Main Continent and thus supplied the goods. They had to be imported from somewhere. Besides that, the beach town was the place to be any time of year and the wealthy just couldn't wait to get a real tan.

Today, though, Zack half wished that these were private ships slinking into the docks. Private ships, run by a crew of three or four, and small enough for there not to be a problem finding a way on but large enough so it was easy to hide in.

Sadly, no such luck. Apparently it had run out the night before. Things would have been so much easier if Cloud was anything but a vegetable at that point but the chances of the blond snapping out of his moaning state was even slimmer than the pair getting onto one of the large supply ships un-noticed.

"Least we don't smell anymore and don't leave a trail of slime wherever we got." Zack whispered to his friend, back against one of the large crates on the dock, Clouds body leaning against his for support. "Free room, free bath, free clean clothes. Perfect. Just like those fucked course do-hickeys in SOLDIER. Those final test things we took at random. They ship you off somewhere, all peaceful and natural like, right? Then when you wake up all pampered and preened in the morning you're face witha shit load of things to wade through. I'm talkin monsters. Bitchy ones, too. Wonder if they were females…" He frowned, mouth twisting in thought. After a moment Zack chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. "Nah, who cares. We gatta focus on getting on the ship."

__

More like pray for a miracle. Miracles are nice. But Zack knew better then to rely on that sort of thing.

"So." He asked Cloud, bright eyes drifting to the blond. "How are we gonna do this?" Zack almost wanted to try his luck on sneaking in through a port hole, but that idea seemed very unlikely to go through very well- he'd likely get his head stuck and die there. No one but Cloud would notice and Cloud was incapable of doing anything about it.

"Alright…So we don't go through the port-hole…" Well. Now what?

"Plan B." Zack said suddenly, taking a deep breath before shoved himself up to his feet. It was suicide, but it was certainly worth a shot. Shinra was not a cooperation based on murder- at least not in public. Costa Del Sol was the only port in which goods could go in and out of- if the Shinra shot Zack then Costa Del Sol would take action and possibly shut down it's docks. Shinra would no longer be welcome.

The black haired man was relying on that thought to get him through. If they turned him away then… Well, he'd think of something. Smooth talking could get him anywhere, though, and Zack prayed it would get him and Cloud a place on the ship.

"Stay here, okay?" He told Cloud, a grin on his face. "I'm going to go get us a ticket to nowhere." With that Zack shoved his thumbs under the straps going down his chest and took very long, patient steps towards the nearest ship and it's crew.

As he approached the mummer of voices became clearer and eyes drifted in the mans direction. The insignia on his belt was eyed wearily and a few people took the opportunity to snort and roll the orbs in their heads skyward in exasperation. "Those First Class. Think they run theh place. Lookit ehm, waltzin bout like ee ownz us. I've halfa mind tah-"

"Half a mind to what?" Zack called to the men on deck. The one who had been speaking jumped, nearly dropping a crate onto the deck. _Bingo. Move in like you're meant to be there. Smooth, Flame. Ivy'd be proud._

"Sir! I-I didn't see yeh there!" The man called out, laughing nervously and rubbing the back of his neck. He wasn't wearing a guard uniform but it was clear to see he was a Shinra employee- a white suit of a sailor with the large blue collar and Shinra insignia sewn over the heart proves that.

Zack snorted, nodding his head with a slight glare. "Oh, of course not. Would explain just why you said absolutely nothing, huh?" Sarcasm laced the man's voice.

"Er- hehe?" The sailor offered, squinting his eyes shut at the sight of Zack's un-amused face. "D-didn't mean no 'arm to yeh, yeh know that. 'Ight?"

Zack rolled bright green eyes, plainly irritated- or so it seemed. In truth the SOLDIER was amused. They were buying it! "Aw hurry up with that load, would you? Aint got all day. And you!" The second man snapped to attention, saluting the black haired man bellow him on the dock. "Leave him to the job. I need your help down here." _Now for Cloud._

"Yes, Sir!" The man called, saluting again and quickly jogging towards the ramp. Patiently Zack waited, the very opposite painted thickly on his face. "I haven't got all day- hurry it up!"

"Yes, Sir!" The man called, running towards Zack only to stop a few yards away and salute. Zack eyed him quizzically then nodded, walking back towards where he had left Cloud with a brisk pace.

"Some local must have gotten the poor sap- Cant figure out the hell is wrong with him. Looks like he's drugged or drunk. Don't matter. Damn guards, not keeping themselves ought to trouble." Zack glared over at the sailor as he let the older looking man to the pile of crates and slowly behind him. "Dumped him here. Keeps going on bout nothing at all. Well, don't just stand there!" Zack snapped, causing the blond to flinch. Silently the older man cursed himself. "Help me move him!"

"Y-yes sir!" The sailor stuttered. The black haired man guessed that he already had had trouble with another person today and didn't want any more. _Ack. Shinra. Bunch of jerks._ Swiftly Zack got Cloud's upper body and let the other man deal with the rest. "Hmph. Think we have anywhere to put him? Don't want no trouble with the rest of the staff- poking at him and shit. Somewhere quiet where he can recover. Damn idiot."

"er- uh. I think so, Sir. Bellow deck. There's a room down in storage and such. Shouldn't he…"

"Sh." Zack hissed. "I don't want anyone to find out about this. Word travels, you know. You just keep what happened to yourself and then we'll be good friends, you hear?"

The sailor just nodded.

Slowly the climbed the ramp, the breeze that was rolling in from the ocean sending salty scents to Zack's nose. Luck was still with them. They just needed to hold onto it a little while longer.

Just a little longer.

But once they were out at sea nothing would be able to get them away from harm.

Two soldiers in the camp of the enemy army, surrounded by an endless expanse of blue.

If things went wrong, Zack realized, they were doomed.

****

Note: This did not turn out at all how I had planned back in November. But, none the less, it is here (despite my virus software popping up every 30 seconds to hinder it). Thanks ffwarrioress for reminding me I needed to finish.


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